Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol 55, Issue 6 1884-1892, Copyright © 1983 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

Bioelectric properties and ion transport of excised rabbit trachea

F. Jarnigan, J. D. Davis, P. A. Bromberg, J. T. Gatzy and R. C. Boucher

Bioelectric properties and 22Na+ and 36Cl- isotopic flows across rabbit trachea, an airway epithelium without submucosal glands, were measured in vitro. One hundred twenty-two excised tracheas exhibited a mean transepithelial electric potential difference (PD) of 12 mV (lumen negative), a conductance (G) of 8.5 mS X cm-2, and a short-circuit current (Isc) of 90 microA X cm-2. G remained stable for more than 3 h, but Isc and PD fell slowly (10%/h). G was inversely correlated with PD, but Isc and G were not correlated. Na+ was absorbed under both open-circuit (1.7 mueq. cm-2 X h-1) and short-circuit (2.2 mueq X cm-2 X h-1) conditions. Net Na+ transport accounted for 70% of Isc of the short-circuited trachea. Net Cl- flow in the absorptive direction approximated that of Na+ under open-circuit conditions (1.6 mueq X cm-2 X h-1). Under short-circuit conditions the small net flow of Cl- in the direction of secretion (0.4 mueq X cm-2 X h-1) was not significant. Both unidirectional Cl- fluxes were correlated with G; [14C]-mannitol permeability and Na+ flows were weakly or not correlated with G. We found no evidence of net HCO-3 or proton transport. Acetylcholine (10(-4) M), phenylephrine (10(-5) M), or isoproterenol (10(-5) M) induced no change in bioelectric properties or ion flows. We conclude that the rabbit trachea is primarily a Na+ absorbing epithelium. The absence of a correlation between mannitol permeability and G suggests that much of the Cl- conductance is transcellular. Whereas insensitivity of rabbit trachea to cholinergic and alpha-adrenergic agents is compatible with the absence of glands, the lack of response to beta-adrenergic agonists denotes a species difference (compared with canine trachea) in airway-surface epithelial cell function.

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