Ionic selectivity of chloride ion symport in mechanisms controlling resting potential and osmotic homeostasis in earthworm somatic muscle cells

Abstract

Replacement of Cl(-) for Br(-) in bathing solution did not reduce resting potential and had no effect on modulation of transmembrane potential in hyper- and hypoosmotic solutions. Under these conditions, baclofen, an agonist of GABAergic B-type receptors, failed to activate Na(+)/K(+)-pump in earthworm somatic muscle cells. It was hypothesized that the contribution of Cl(-) symport to osmotic homeostasis is not highly selective in respect to replacement of Cl(-) to Br(-) ions, whereas in case of activation of electrogenic ion pumps, this replacement is equivalent to removal of Cl(-) ions from the bathing solution.