It is concluded that the HCO(3)(-) secretion stimulated by low concentrations of bile acids acts to protect the pancreas against toxic bile, whereas inhibition of HCO(3)(-) secretion by high concentrations of bile acids may contribute to the progression of acute pancreatitis.

Using the patch clamp technique we have identified a small conductance ion channel that typically occurs in clusters on the apical plasma membrane of pancreatic duct cells. The cell-attached current/voltage (I/V) relationship was linear and gave a single channel conductance of about 4 pS. Since the reversal potential was close to the resting membrane potential of the cell, and unaffected by changing from Na+-rich to K+-rich pipette solutions, the channel selects for anions over cations in cell-attached patches. The open state probability was not voltage-dependent. Adding 25 mM-bicarbonate to the bath solution caused a slight outward rectification of the I/V relationship, but otherwise, the characteristics of the channel were unaffected. In excised, inside-out, patches the I/V relationship was linear and gave a single channel conductance of about 4 pS. A threefold chloride concentration gradient across the patch (sulphate replacement) shifted the single channel current reversal potential by -26 mV, indicating that the channel is chloride selective. Stimulation of duct cells with secretin (10 nM), dibutyryl cyclic AMP (1 mM) and forskolin (1 microM) increased channel open state probability and also increased the number of channels, and/or caused disaggregation of channel clusters, in the apical plasma membrane. Coupling of this channel to a chloride/bicarbonate exchanger would provide a mechanism for electrogenic bicarbonate secretion by pancreatic duct cells.

Rat and human pancreatic duct cells have small-conductance Cl- channels in their apical plasma membranes. These channels are regulated by secretin and adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate and may function in parallel with Cl(-)-HCO3- exchangers to allow HCO3- secretion from the duct cell. Using the patch-clamp technique, we have now determined the anion permeability sequence of the channel as NO3- greater than Br- approximately I- approximately Cl- much greater than HCO3- much greater than gluconate. From this we conclude 1) that anion permeation involves a weak interaction with charged sites inside the channel pore, 2) that because of the low HCO3-/Cl- permeability ratio it is unlikely that significant amounts of HCO3- could be secreted directly via the channel, and 3) that channel permeability may determine the anion selectivity of secretion. We also show that 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)benzoic acid blocks the small-conductance Cl- channel, whereas 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid has no effect.

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Two Cl− conductances have been described in the apical membrane of both human and murine proximal airway epithelia that are thought to play predominant roles in airway hydration: (1) CFTR, which is cAMP regulated and (2) the Ca2+-activated Cl− conductance (CaCC) whose molecular identity is uncertain. In addition to second messenger regulation, cross talk between these two channels may also exist and, whereas CFTR is absent or defective in cystic fibrosis (CF) airways, CaCC is preserved, and may even be up-regulated. Increased CaCC activity in CF airways is controversial. Hence, we have investigated the effects of CFTR on CaCC activity and have also assessed the relative contributions of these two conductances to airway surface liquid (ASL) height (volume) in murine tracheal epithelia. We find that CaCC is up-regulated in intact murine CF tracheal epithelia, which leads to an increase in UTP-mediated Cl−/volume secretion. This up-regulation is dependent on cell polarity and is lost in nonpolarized epithelia. We find no role for an increased electrical driving force in CaCC up-regulation but do find an increased Ca2+ signal in response to mucosal nucleotides that may contribute to the increased Cl−/volume secretion seen in intact epithelia. CFTR plays a critical role in maintaining ASL height under basal conditions and accordingly, ASL height is reduced in CF epithelia. In contrast, CaCC does not appear to significantly affect basal ASL height, but does appear to be important in regulating ASL height in response to released agonists (e.g., mucosal nucleotides). We conclude that both CaCC and the Ca2+ signal are increased in CF airway epithelia, and that they contribute to acute but not basal regulation of ASL height.