Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Volume flows across gallbladder epithelium induced by small hydrostatic and osmotic gradients

  • Published:
The Journal of Membrane Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The hydraulic conductivity of rabbit gallbladder epithelium has been studied using a continuous volumetric method based on capacitance measurements. The time resolution for measuring osmotic flows is in the range of seconds. Volume flows have been induced by osmotic gradients between 0 and 100 mosmol. In this range the flow-force relation is linear and theP f value is 9.3×10−3 cm/sec. After correction for solute polarization effects, theP f value amounts to 0.05 cm/sec. The observed flow is constant between 5 sec up to 20 min after a sudden increase in the osmolarity of the mucosal solution. The wet weight of the gallbladder tissue decreases by 22% and increases by 30% during osmotic flows from serosa to mucosa and from mucosa to serosa, respectively. Volume flows induced by hydrostatic pressure gradients on the mucosal surface are linearly related to the driving forces between 0 and 40 mbar. TheP f value is 0.15 cm/sec. The volume flows are constant between 2 sec and 15 min after pressure application. The flow-force relation for pressure gradients on the serosal surface is markedly nonlinear for gradients greater than 5 mbar. Below 5 mbar theP f value is 4.5 cm/sec. From electrical measurements, e.g., resistance and streaming potentials, and from flux studies with inulin and polyethylene glycol 4000, it is concluded that hydrostatic and osmotic gradients are not comparable when they are applied to gallbladder epithelium. They induce volume flows across different pathways, e.g., osmosis predominantly across the cellular route and pressure filtration predominantly across paracellular routes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Andreoli, T.E., Schafer, J.A., Patlak, C.F. 1978. Mechanisms for salt and water transport in the mammalian proximal straight tubule.In: Membrane Transport Processes. J.F. Hoffman, editor. Vol. I, pp. 385–431. Raven Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Barry, P.H., Diamond, J.M., 1970. Junction potentials, electrode standard potentials, and other problems in interpreting electrical properties of membranes.J. Membrane Biol. 3:93

    Google Scholar 

  • Bindslev, N., Tormey, J.McD, Wright, E.M. 1974. The effects of electrical and osmotic gradients on lateral intercellular spaces and membrane conductance in a low resistance epithelium.J. Membrane Biol. 19:357

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bird, R.B., Steward, W.E., Lightfoot, E.N. 1960. Transport Phenomena. Chapter 2, p. 34. John Wiley and Sons, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Boulpaep, E. 1972. Permeability changes of the proximal tubule ofNecturus during saline loading.Am. J. Physiol. 222:517

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gupta, B.L., Hall, T.A., Naftalin, R.J. 1978. Microprobe measurement of Na, K and Cl concentration profiles in epithelial cells and intercellular spaces of rabbit ileum.Nature (London) 272:70

    Google Scholar 

  • Hakim, A.S., Lifson, N. 1969. Effects of pressure on water and solute transport by dog intestinal mucosa in vitro.Am. J. Physiol. 216:276

    Google Scholar 

  • House, C.R. 1974. Water transport in cells and tissues. Edward Arnold, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Humphreys, M.H., Earley, L.E. 1971. The mechanism of decreased intestinal sodium and water absorption after acute volume expansion in the rat.J. Clin. Invest. 50:2355

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lerche, D. 1976. Temporal and local concentration changes in diffusion layers at cellulose membranes due to concentration differences between the solutions on both sides of the membrane.J. Membrane Biol. 27:193

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Machen, T.E., Diamond, J.M. 1969. An estimate of the salt concentration in the lateral intercellular spaces of rabbit gall-bladder during maximal fluid transport.J. Membrane Biol. 1:194

    Google Scholar 

  • Monticelli, G., Celentano, F., Torelli, G. 1975. Sodium chloride reflection coefficient in rabbit gallbladder.Biochim. Biophys. Acta 401:41

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Moreno, J.H. 1975. Routes of non-electrolyte permeability in gallbladder. Effects of 2,4,6-triaminopyrimidinum (TAP).J. Gen. Physiol. 66:117

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Moreno, J.H., Diamond, J.M. 1975. Cation permeation mechanisms and cation selectivity in “tight junctions” of gallbladder epithelium.In: Membranes—A Series of Advances. G. Eisenman, editor. Vol. 3, p. 383. Marcel Dekker, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Munck, B.G., Rasmussen, S.N. 1977. Paracellular permeability of extracellular space markers across rat jejunum in vitro. Indication of a transepithelial fluid circuit.J. Physiol. (London) 271:473

    Google Scholar 

  • Robinson, R.A., Stokes, R.H. 1970. Electrolyte solutions, p. 466. Butterworths, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Sato, K. 1975. Reevaluation of micropuncture techniques: Some of the factors which affect the rate of fluid absorption by the proximal tubule.In: Current Problems in Clinical Biochemistry: 4. Biochemical Aspects of Renal Function, p. 175–187. S. Angielski and U.C. Dubach, Editors H. Huber, Bern-Stuttgart-Vienna

    Google Scholar 

  • Smulders, A.P., Tormey, J.McD, Wright, E.M. 1972. The effect of osmotically induced water flows on the permeability and ultrastructure of the rabbit gallbladder.J. Membrane Biol. 7:164

    Google Scholar 

  • Smulders, A.P., Wright, E.M. 1971. The magnitude of nonelectrolyte selectivity in the gallbladder epithelium.J. Membrane Biol. 5:297

    Google Scholar 

  • Spring, K.R., Hope, A. 1978. Size and shape of the lateral intercellular spaces in a living epithelium.Science 200:54

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, A., Wright, E.E., Schultz, S.G., Curran, P.F. 1968. Effects of sugars on ion fluxes in intestine.Am. J. Physiol. 214:836

    Google Scholar 

  • Tormey, J.McD, Diamond, J.M. 1967. The ultrastructural route of fluid transport in rabbit gallbladder.J. Gen. Physiol. 50:2031

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Van Os, C.H., Slegers, J.F.G. 1971. Correlation between (Na−K) activated ATPase activities and the rate of isotonic fluid transport of gallbladder epithelium.Biochim. Biophys. Acta 241:89

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Van Os, C.H., Jong, M.D. de, Slegers, J.F.G. 1974. Dimensions of polar pathways through rabbit gallbladder epithelium. The effect of phloretin on nonelectrolyse permeability.J. Membrane Biol. 15:363

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Os, C.H., Michels, J.A., Slegers, J.F.G. 1976. Effects of electrical gradients on volume flows across gallbladder epithelium.Biochim. Biophys. Acta 443:545

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wedner, H.J., Diamond, J.M. 1969. Contributions of unstirred-layer effects to apparent electrokinetic phenomena in the gallbladder.J. Membrane Biol. 1:92

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiedner, G. 1976. Method to detect volume flows in the nanoliter range.Rev. Sci. Instrum. 47:775

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wiedner, G., Wright, E.M. 1975. The role of the lateral intercellular spaces in the control of ion permeation across the rabbit gallbladder.Pfluegers Arch. 358:27

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wright, E.M., Smulders, A.P., Tormey, J.McD. 1972. The role of the lateral intercellular spaces and solute polarization effects in the passive flow of water across the rabbit gallbladder.J. Membrane Biol. 7:198

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. Ernest M. Wright

    Present address: Department of Physiology, University of California, Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, University of Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Carel H. van Os, Günther Wiedner & Ernest M. Wright

  2. Max Planck Institut of Biophysics, Frankfurt a.M., G.F.R.

    Carel H. van Os, Günther Wiedner & Ernest M. Wright

Authors
  1. Carel H. van Os
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Günther Wiedner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ernest M. Wright
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

van Os, C.H., Wiedner, G. & Wright, E.M. Volume flows across gallbladder epithelium induced by small hydrostatic and osmotic gradients. J. Membrain Biol. 49, 1–20 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01871037

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01871037

Keywords

Search

Navigation