Electrophysiology of plasma membrane vesicles

1984 ◽  
Vol 246 (4) ◽  
pp. F363-F372
Author(s):  
E. M. Wright

In both renal and gastrointestinal physiology, it has become popular to study epithelial transport phenomena using vesicles isolated from the apical and basolateral cell membranes. Transport in vesicle preparations is usually monitored with radioactive tracers, but more recently attention has been directed to electrophysiological methods. As it is impossible to measure the electrical properties of membranes in small vesicles (less than 500 nm diam) with classical electrophysiological techniques, indirect methods have to be employed. In this review I focus on the application of voltage-sensitive optical probes to measure membrane potentials in brush border membrane vesicles. Optical signals are calibrated with diffusion potentials generated with known ion gradients in the presence of ionophores, e.g., EKS with K gradients in the presence of valinomycin. Membrane potential measurements can be used 1) to illustrate the specificity and kinetics of sugar-, amino acid-, and carboxylic acid-Na cotransport systems in brush border membranes, and 2) to determine the ion permeability of brush border membranes. All organic solutes known to be transported by Na cotransport across brush border membranes depolarize the membrane in a Na-dependent, saturable manner. The results agree, both qualitatively and quantitatively, with electrophysiological data obtained in the intact renal tubule and with tracer uptake in vesicles. Bi-ionic potential measurements demonstrate that brush border membranes are permselective to anions and cations, but there are indications that the permeabilities are somewhat dependent on the method of vesicle preparation and the experimental conditions. However, electrical potential measurements provide insight into the mechanisms of ion transport in vesicle preparations, and the application of patch-clamp techniques should provide further gains in the future.

1978 ◽  
Vol 174 (3) ◽  
pp. 951-958 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heinrich Lücke ◽  
Gertraud Stange ◽  
Rolf Kinne ◽  
Heini Murer

Uptake of taurocholate into brush-border membrane vesicles isolated from rat small intestine by a Ca2+ -precipitation method was investigated by using a rapid-filtration technique. Uptake of taurocholate by ileal brush-border membranes consisted of three phenomena: binding to the outside of the vesicles, transfer across the vesicle membrane and binding to the intravesicular compartment. The transport of taurocholate across the brush-border membranes was stimulated in the presence of Na+ compared with the presence of K+; stimulation was about 11-fold in the presence of a NaCl gradient (Nao>Nai), where the subscripts refer to ‘outside’ and ‘inside’ respectively, and 4-fold under equilibrium conditions for Na+ (Nao=Nai). In the presence of a Na+ gradient a typical ‘overshoot’ phenomenon was observed. Membranes preloaded with unlabelled taurocholate showed an accelerated entry of labelled taurocholate (tracer exchange) in the presence of Na+ compared with the presence of K+. The stimulation by Na+ was observed only in membrane preparations from the ileum. Addition of monactin, an ionophore for univalent cations, decreased the Na+-gradient-driven taurocholate uptake. The Na+-dependent taurocholate transport showed saturation kinetics and the phenomenon of counterflow and was inhibited by glycocholate. Other cations such as Li+, Rb+ and Cs+ could not replace Na+ in its stimulatory action. When the electrical potential difference across the vesicle membrane was altered by establishing different diffusion potentials (anion replacement; K+ gradient±valinomycin) a more-negative potential inside stimulated Na+-dependent taurocholate transport. These data demonstrate the presence of a rheogenic (potential sensitive) Na+–taurocholate co-transport system in ileal brush-border membranes and support the hypothesis that the reabsorption of bile acids in the ileum is a secondary active uptake.


1990 ◽  
Vol 149 (1) ◽  
pp. 207-221
Author(s):  
V. FRANCA SACCHI ◽  
BARBARA GIORDANA ◽  
FLAVIA CAMPANINI ◽  
PATRIZIA BONFANTI ◽  
GIORGIO M. HANOZET

A potassium- or sodium-activated cotransport of leucine occurs in brush-border membrane vesicles prepared from the midgut of larvae of Philosamia cynthia Drury). The potassium chemical gradient can drive a twofold accumulation of leucine, which is greatly increased under experimental conditions that presumably provide an electrical potential difference (δψ) Kinetic parameters show that leucine transport is improved by these conditions and by a pH gradient similar to that occurring in vivo. However, these gradients cannot drive an intravesicular accumulation of leucine in the absence of potassium. The potassium-dependence of leucine uptake shows that 20% of the transport is potassium-independent and that K50 and Vmax are 30.3± 3.2mmoll−1 and 2584±148pmol 7 s−1mg−1 protein, respectively. The potassium-independent component of leucine transport is also carrier-mediated and some evidence is reported suggesting that the same carrier can cross the membrane as binary carrier and leucine) or ternary (carrier, leucine and potassium) complexes, each having a different mobility


1988 ◽  
Vol 252 (3) ◽  
pp. 801-806 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Béliveau ◽  
H Ibnoul-Khatib

Phosphate uptake by rat renal brush-border membrane vesicles was studied under experimental conditions where transmembrane electrical potential (delta psi) could be manipulated. Experiments were performed under initial rate conditions to avoid complications associated with the dissipation of ion gradients. First, phosphate uptake was shown to be strongly affected by the nature of Na+ co-anions, the highest rates of uptake being observed with 100 mM-NaSCN (1.010 +/- 0.086 pmol/5 s per micrograms of protein) and the lowest with 50 mM-Na2SO4 (0.331 +/- 0.046 pmol/5 s per micrograms of protein). Anion substitution studies showed that potency of the effect of the co-anions was in the order thiocyanate greater than nitrate greater than chloride greater than isethionate greater than gluconate greater than sulphate, which correlates with the known permeability of the membrane to these anions and thus to the generation of transmembrane electrical potentials of decreasing magnitude (inside negative). The stimulation by ion-diffusion-induced potential was observed from pH 6.5 to 8.5, indicating that the transport of both monovalent and divalent phosphate was affected. In addition, inside-negative membrane potentials were generated by valinomycin-induced diffusion of K+ from K+-loaded vesicles and showed a 57% stimulation of phosphate uptake, at pH 7.5. Similar experiments with H+-loaded vesicles, in the presence of carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone gave a 50% stimulation compared with controls. Inside-positive membrane potentials were also induced by reversal of the K+ gradient (outside greater than inside) in the presence of valinomycin and gave 58% inhibition of phosphate uptake. The membrane-potential dependency of phosphate uptake was finally analysed under thermodynamic equilibrium, and a stimulation by inside-negative potential was observed. The transport of phosphate was thus driven against a concentration gradient by a membrane potential, implicating the net transfer of a positive charge during the translocation process. These results indicate a major contribution of electrical potential to phosphate uptake in renal brush-border membranes.


1996 ◽  
Vol 316 (3) ◽  
pp. 999-1004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorella PASCOLO ◽  
Savino DEL VECCHIO ◽  
Ronald K. KOEHLER ◽  
J. Enrique BAYON ◽  
Cecile C. WEBSTER ◽  
...  

Using highly purified unconjugated [3H]bilirubin (UCB), we measured UCB binding to delipidated human serum albumin (HSA) and its uptake by basolateral rat liver plasma membrane vesicles, in both the absence and presence of an inside-positive membrane potential. Free UCB concentrations ([Bf]) were calculated from UCB–HSA affinity constants (K´f), determined by five cycles of ultrafiltration through a Centricon-10 device (Amicon) of the same solutions used in the uptake studies. At HSA concentrations from 12 to 380 μM, K´f (litre/mol) was inversely related to [HSA], irrespective of the [Bt]/[HSA] ratio. K´f was 2.066×106+(3.258×108/[HSA]). When 50 mM KCl was iso-osmotically substituted for sucrose, the K´f value was significantly lower {2.077×106+(1.099×108/[HSA])}. The transport occurred into an osmotic-sensitive space. Below saturation ([Bf] ⩽ 65 nM), both electroneutral and electrogenic components followed saturation kinetics with respect to [Bf], with Km values of 28±7 and 57±8 nM respectively (mean±S.D., n = 3, P < 0.001). The Vmax was greater for the electrogenic than for the electroneutral component (112±12 versus 45±4 pmol of UCB·mg-1 of protein·15 s-1, P < 0.001). Sulphobromophthalein trans-stimulated both electrogenic (61%) and electroneutral (72%) UCB uptake. These data indicate that: (a) as [HSA] increases, K´f decreases, thus increasing the concentration of free UCB. This may account for much of the enhanced hepatocytic uptake of organic anions observed with increasing [HSA]. (b) UCB is taken up at the basolateral membrane of the hepatocyte by two systems with Km values within the range of physiological free UCB levels in plasma. The electrogenic component shows a lower affinity and a higher capacity than the electroneutral component. (c) It is important to calculate the actual [Bf] using a K´f value determined under the same experimental conditions (medium and [HSA]) used for the uptake studies.


1989 ◽  
Vol 264 (1) ◽  
pp. 223-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
T C Williams ◽  
A J Doherty ◽  
D A Griffith ◽  
S M Jarvis

The transport of uridine into rabbit renal outer-cortical brush-border and basolateral membrane vesicles was compared at 22 degrees C. Uridine was taken up into an osmotically active space in the absence of metabolism for both types of membrane vesicles. Uridine influx by brush-border membrane vesicles was stimulated by Na+, and in the presence of inwardly directed gradients of Na+ a transient overshoot phenomenon was observed, indicating active transport. Kinetic analysis of the saturable Na+-dependent component of uridine flux indicated that it was consistent with Michaelis-Menten kinetics (Km 12 +/- 3 microM, Vmax. 3.9 +/- 0.9 pmol/s per mg of protein). The sodium:uridine coupling stoichiometry was found to be consistent with 1:1 and involved the net transfer of positive charge. In contrast, uridine influx by basolateral membrane vesicles was not dependent on the cation present and was inhibited by nitrobenzylthioinosine (NBMPR). NBMPR-sensitive uridine transport was saturable (Km 137 +/- 20 microM, Vmax. 5.2 +/- 0.6 pmol/s per mg of protein). Inhibition of uridine flux by NBMPR was associated with high-affinity binding of NBMPR to the basolateral membrane (Kd 0.74 +/- 0.46 nM). Binding of NBMPR to these sites was competitively blocked by adenosine and uridine. These results indicate that uridine crosses the brush-border surface of rabbit proximal renal tubule cells by Na+-dependent pathways, but permeates the basolateral surface by NBMPR-sensitive facilitated-diffusion carriers.


1988 ◽  
Vol 254 (4) ◽  
pp. C512-C518 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Asher ◽  
A. Moran ◽  
B. C. Rossier ◽  
H. Garty

Electrical potential-driven 22Na+ fluxes were measured in membrane vesicles prepared from TBM-18(c123) cells (a clone of the established cell line TB-M). Fifty to seventy percent of the tracer uptake in vesicles derived from cells that were cultivated on a porous support were blocked by the diuretic amiloride. The amiloride inhibition constant was less than 0.1 microM, indicating that this flux is mediated by the apical Na+-specific channels. Vesicles prepared from cells that were not grown on a porous support exhibited much smaller amiloride-sensitive fluxes. Two Ca2+-dependent processes that down-regulate the channel conductance and were previously identified in native epithelia were found in the cultured cells as well. Vesicles isolated from cells that were preincubated with 5 X 10(-7) M aldosterone for 16-20 h exhibited higher amiloride-sensitive conductance than vesicles derived from control, steroid-depleted cells. Thus membrane derived from TBM-18(c123) cells can be used to characterize the epithelial Na+ channel and its hormonal regulation.


1998 ◽  
Vol 274 (2) ◽  
pp. R486-R493 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastiano Vilella ◽  
Vincenzo Zonno ◽  
Laura Ingrosso ◽  
Tiziano Verri ◽  
Carlo Storelli

An electroneutral Na+/H+exchange mechanism (dimethylamiloride inhibitable, Li+ sensitive, and Ca2+ insensitive) was identified in brush-border membrane vesicles (BBMV) from Kuruma prawn hepatopancreas by monitoring Na+-dependent H+ fluxes with the pH-sensitive dye acridine orange and measuring22Na+uptake. Kinetic parameters measured under short-circuited conditions were the Na+ concentration that yielded one-half of the maximal dissipation rate ( F max) of the preset transmembrane ΔpH ( K Na) = 15 ± 2 mM and F max = 3,626 ± 197 Δ F ⋅ min−1 ⋅ mg protein−1, with a Hill coefficient for Na+ of ∼1. In addition, the inhibitory constant for dimethylamiloride was found to be ∼1 μM. The electroneutral nature of the antiporter was assessed in that an inside-negative transmembrane electrical potential neither affected kinetic parameters nor stimulated pH-dependent (intracellular pH > extracellular pH)22Na+uptake. In contrast, electrogenic pH-dependent22Na+uptake was observed in lobster hepatopancreatic BBMV. Substitution of chloride with gluconate resulted in increasing K Na and decreasing Δ F max, which suggests a possible role of chloride in the operational mechanism of the antiporter. These results indicate that a Na+/H+exchanger, resembling the electroneutral Na+/H+antiporter model, is present in hepatopancreatic BBMV from the Kuruma prawn Penaeus japonicus.


1977 ◽  
Vol 233 (6) ◽  
pp. E445
Author(s):  
U Hopfer

In recent years a methodology has been developed to use vesicles of the isolated brush border and basolateral plasma membranes for intestinal transport studies. The methodology and information gained with the vesicle systems are discussed using the examples of nonelectrolyte transport. In particular, results are presented on the mechanisms of D-glucose and neutral amino acid translocation across both plasma membranes and the coupling of Na+ with sugar and amino acid transport in the brush-border membrane. Furthermore, the kinetic parameters of the Na+-dependent glucose transport system, determined with an equilibrium exchange procedure, and the effects of semistarvation on the transport properties of the brush border membrane are described.


1998 ◽  
Vol 274 (5) ◽  
pp. R1361-R1371 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Giordana ◽  
M. G. Leonardi ◽  
M. Casartelli ◽  
P. Consonni ◽  
P. Parenti

The K+-dependent symporter for leucine and other neutral amino acids expressed along the midgut of the silkworm Bombyx mori operates with best efficiency in the presence of a steep pH gradient across the brush-border membrane, with external alkaline pH values up to 11, and an electrical potential difference (Δψ) of ∼200 mV. Careful determinations of leucine kinetics as a function of external amino acid concentrations between 50 and 1,000 μM, performed with brush-border membrane vesicles (BBMV) obtained from the middle and posterior midgut regions, revealed that the kinetic parameter affected by the presence of a ΔpH was the maximal rate of transport. The addition of Δψ caused a further marked increase of the translocation rate. At nonsaturating leucine concentrations in the solution bathing the external side of the brush-border membrane, leucine accumulation within BBMV and midgut cells was not only driven by the gradient of the driver cation K+ and Δψ but occurred also in the absence of K+. The ability of the symporter to translocate the substrate in its binary form allows the intracellular accumulation of leucine in the absence of K+, provided that a pH gradient, with alkaline outside, is present. The mechanisms involved in this accumulation are discussed.


1988 ◽  
Vol 255 (1) ◽  
pp. 185-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Debiec ◽  
R Lorenc

An Na+, Pi-binding protein has been extracted from kidney and intestinal brush-border membranes with an organic solvent and has been purified by Kieselghur and Sephadex LH-60 chromatography. The molecular mass of this protein has been estimated to be about 155 kDa as determined by gel-filtration chromatography on Sepharose 2B. Under denaturing conditions, polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis revealed a monomer of molecular mass about 70 kDa. The protein has high specificity and high affinity for Pi [K0.5 (concentration at which half-maximal binding is observed) near 10 microM]. Na2+ binding also exhibits saturation behaviour, with a K0.5 near 7.5 mM. Pi binding is inhibited by known inhibitors of Pi transport in brush-border membrane vesicles. It appears that this protein could be involved in Na+/Pi co-transport across the renal and intestinal brush-border membranes.


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