pH regulation in the vertebrate central nervous system: microelectrode studies in the brain stem of the lamprey

1987 ◽  
Vol 65 (5) ◽  
pp. 986-993 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mitchell Chesler

Studies of intracellular pH (pHi) in nervous tissue are summarized and recent investigation of intracellular and extracellular pH (pHo) in the isolated brain stem of the lamprey is reviewed. In the lamprey, pHi regulation was studied in single reticulospinal neurons using double-barrel ion-selective microelectrodes (ISMs). In nominally [Formula: see text]-free HEPES-buffered media, acute acid loading was followed by a spontaneous recovery of pHi requiring 10–20 min and was associated with a prolonged rise in intracellular Na+. The recovery of pHi was blocked by 1–2 mM amiloride. Amiloride also caused a small rise in pHo. Substitution of external Na+ caused a slow intracellular acidification and extracellular alkalinization. Return of external Na+ reversed these effects. Transition from HEPES to [Formula: see text]-buffered media increased the rate of acid extrusion during recovery of pHi. Recovery in [Formula: see text]-buffered media was inhibited by 4,4′-diisothio-cyanostilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid and was slowed after exposure to Cl−-free media. Following inhibition of acid extrusion by amiloride, transition to [Formula: see text] media restored pHi recovery. These data indicate that lamprey neurons recover from acute acid loads by both Na+–H+ exchange and an independent [Formula: see text]-dependent mechanism. Evidence for [Formula: see text]-dependent acid extrusion in other vertebrate cells and the protocols of pHi studies using ISMs are discussed.

1988 ◽  
Vol 255 (6) ◽  
pp. C844-C856 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Boyarsky ◽  
M. B. Ganz ◽  
R. B. Sterzel ◽  
W. F. Boron

We have developed a technique to measure the fluorescence of a pH-sensitive dye (2,7-biscarboxyethyl-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein) in single glomerular mesangial cells in culture. The intracellular fluorescence excitation ratio of the dye was calibrated using the nigericin-high-K+ approach. In the absence of CO2-HCO3-, mesangial cells that are acid loaded by an NH+4 prepulse exhibit a spontaneous intracellular pH (pHi) recovery that is blocked either by ethylisopropylamiloride (EIPA) or removal of external Na+. This pHi recovery most probably reflects the activity of a Na+-H+ exchanger. When the cells are switched from a N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES)-buffered solution to one containing CO2-HCO3-, there is an abrupt acidification due to CO2 entry, which is followed by a spontaneous recovery of pHi to a steady-state value higher than that prevailing in HEPES. Both the rate of recovery and the higher steady-state pHi imply that the application of CO2-HCO3- introduces an increase in net acid extrusion from the cell. One third of total net acid extrusion in CO2-HCO3- is EIPA sensitive and most likely is mediated by the Na+-H+ exchanger. The remaining two thirds of acid extrusion could be caused by a decrease in the background acid-loading rate and/or the introduction of a new, HCO3- -dependent acid-extrusion mechanism. The HCO3- -induced alkalinization cannot be accounted for by a HCO3- -induced reduction in the acid-loading rate. The latter can be estimated by applying EIPA in the absence of HCO3- and observing the rate of pHi decline. We found that this acid-loading rate is only about one fifth as great as the total net acid extrusion rate in the presence of HCO3-. Indeed, two thirds of net acid extrusion in HCO3- is blocked by 4-acetamido-4'-isothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (SITS), an inhibitor of HCO3- -dependent transport. Furthermore, the effects of EIPA and SITS were additive. Thus, in the presence of CO2-HCO3-, a SITS-sensitive-HCO3- -dependent transporter is the dominant mechanism of acid extrusion. This mechanism also accounts for the increase in steady-state pHi on addition of CO2-HCO3-.


1978 ◽  
Vol 235 (1) ◽  
pp. C49-C54 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Roos ◽  
W. F. Boron

Changes of the intracellular pH of rat diaphragm muscle were monitored at 30-min intervals with the weak acid DMO (5,5-dimethyl-2,4-oxazolidinedione). Transferring the muscle from a CO2-containing to a CO2-free solution caused intracellular pH (pHi) to rise by an average of 0.18 during the first 30 min and then to level off at a slightly lower value over the next 60-90 min. Transferring the muscle from a CO2-free to a CO2-containing solution caused pHi to fall by 0.18 during the first 30 min and then to recover by 0.05 over the next 90 min. Subsequent return to the CO2-free solution caused pHi to overshoot the control value by 0.10. Both the recovery and the overshoot can be accounted for by an acid-extruding pump. Intracellular acid loading with 118 mM DMO similarly caused pHi to fall initially, to recover slowly during the acid loading, and then to overshoot the control pHi on removal of the acid load. In the absence of HCO3-/CO2, acid extrusion was reduced by about a fifth. SITS (4-acetamido-4'-isothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid) had no effect. The absence of either Na+ or Cl- from HCO3-/CO2- free solution reduced acid extrusion by about a half.


1990 ◽  
Vol 259 (3) ◽  
pp. C471-C483 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Kikeri ◽  
M. L. Zeidel ◽  
B. J. Ballermann ◽  
B. M. Brenner ◽  
S. C. Hebert

The fluorescent pH-sensitive dye 2',7'-bis(carboxyethyl)-5,6-carboxyfluorescein (BCECF) was used to determine the effect of ambient CO2-HCO3- on the regulation of intracellular pH (pHi) and the pHi response to arginine vasopressin (AVP) in A10 vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cells. Steady-state pHi averaged 7.04 +/- 0.02 in the absence and 7.25 +/- 0.01 in the presence of CO2-HCO3-. In the absence of CO2-HCO3-, virtually all (greater than 96%) of the acid extrusion from acidification occurred by amiloride-sensitive Na(+)-H+ exchange. However, in the presence of CO2-HCO3-, acid extrusion after acidification occurred by both Na(+)-H+ exchange and 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS)-sensitive Na(+)-dependent Cl(-)-HCO3- exchange. In CO2-HCO3(-)-containing media, amiloride-sensitive Na(+)-H+ exchange mediated 85% of acid extrusion at a pHi of 6.48, but the DIDS-sensitive acid extrusion mechanism (NA(+)-dependent Cl(-)-HCO3- exchange) was the dominant acid extrusion mechanism at a pHi of 6.94. Base exited A10 cells by a DIDS-sensitive process consistent with Na(+)-independent Cl(-)-HCO3- exchange. Both amiloride- and DIDS-sensitive processes regulated steady-state pHi in CO2-HCO3-. AVP (10(-7) M) alkalinized steady-state pHi in the absence of CO2-HCO3- (delta pHi = 0.08 +/- 0.01 pH units) by stimulating Na(+)-H+ exchange; however, AVP did not alter pHi of untreated cells in CO2-HCO3- (delta pHi = -0.01 +/- 0.01 pH units) because of concomitant stimulation of Na(+)-independent Cl(-)-HCO3-exchange. We conclude that the steady-state pHi, the mechanisms of pHi regulation, and the pHi response to AVP in A10 cells are critically influenced by the presence of extracellular CO2-HCO3-. Thus the potential contribution of pHi changes to VSM cell responses to vasoactive agents should be evaluated in the presence of CO2-HCO3-.


1979 ◽  
Vol 237 (3) ◽  
pp. C185-C193 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. F. Boron ◽  
W. C. McCormick ◽  
A. Roos

Intracellular pH (pHi) regulation was studied in acid-loaded barnacle muscle fibers by monitoring recovery of pHi with a pH-sensitive microelectrode. By multiplying the rate of pHi recovery by total intracellular buffering power, the acid extrusion rate was obtained. The acid extrusion rate was greatest at low values of pHi, and declined toward zero as pHi approached normal levels. It increased as the extracellular pH (pHo) was raised either by increasing external [HCO3] ([HCO3]o) at constant PCO2 or by decreasing PCO2 at constant [HCO3]o, but more so in the former case than in the latter. These observations suggest that pHo per se is an important determinant of the acid extrusion rate, but that raising [HCO3]o by itself also stimulates acid extrusion. This would be expected if acid extrusion involves the inward movement of HCO3. When fibers were exposed to HCO3-containing solutions at very low or very high pHo, pHi drifted downward or upward, respectively; thbe drifts were inhibited by 4-acetamido-4' isothiocyanostilbene-2,2' disulfonic acid (SITS). Our results are discussed in terms of possible mechanisms of acid extrusion.


1993 ◽  
Vol 102 (6) ◽  
pp. 1171-1205 ◽  
Author(s):  
N L Nakhoul ◽  
L K Chen ◽  
W F Boron

We used the absorbance spectrum of the pH-sensitive dye dimethylcarboxyfluorescein to monitor intracellular pH (pHi) in the isolated perfused S3 segment of the rabbit proximal tubule, and examined the effect on pHi of switching from a HEPES to a CO2/HCO3- buffer in the lumen and/or the bath (i.e., basolateral solution). Solutions were titrated to pH 7.40 at 37 degrees C. With 10 mM acetate present bilaterally (lumen and bath), this causing steady-state pHi to be rather high (approximately 7.45), bilaterally switching the buffer from 32 mM HEPES to 5% CO2/25 mM HCO3- caused a sustained fall in pHi of approximately 0.26. However, with acetate absent bilaterally, this causing steady-state pHi to be substantially lower (approximately 6.9), bilaterally switching to CO2/HCO3- caused a transient pHi fall (due to the influx of CO2), followed by a sustained rise to a level approximately 0.18 higher than the initial one. The remainder of the experiments was devoted to examining this alkalinization in the absence of acetate. Switching to CO2/HCO3- only in the lumen caused a sustained pHi fall of approximately 0.15, whereas switching to CO2/HCO3- only in the bath caused a transient fall followed by a sustained pHi increase to approximately 0.26 above the initial value. This basolateral CO2/HCO3(-)-induced alkalinization was not inhibited by 50 microM DIDS applied shortly after CO2/HCO3- washout, but was slowed approximately 73% by DIDS applied more than 30 min after CO2/HCO3- washout. The rate was unaffected by 100 microM bilateral acetazolamide, although this drug greatly reduced CO2-induced pHi transients. The alkalinization was not blocked by bilateral removal of Na+ per se, but was abolished at pHi values below approximately 6.5. The alkalinization was also unaffected by short-term bilateral removal of Cl- or SO4=. Basolateral CO2/HCO3- elicited the usual pHi increase even when all solutes were replaced, short or long-term (> 45 min), by N-methyl-D-glucammonium/glucuronate (NMDG+/Glr-). Luminal CO2/HCO3- did not elicit a pHi increase in NMDG+/Glr-. Although the sustained pHi increase elicited by basolateral CO2/HCO3- could be due to a basolateral HCO3- uptake mechanism, net reabsorption of HCO3- by the S3 segment, as well as our ACZ data, suggest instead that basolateral CO2/HCO3- elicits the sustained pHi increase either by inhibiting an acid-loading process or stimulating acid extrusion across the luminal membrane (e.g., via an H+ pump).


1988 ◽  
Vol 255 (6) ◽  
pp. C857-C869 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Boyarsky ◽  
M. B. Ganz ◽  
R. B. Sterzel ◽  
W. F. Boron

We used the pH-sensitive dye 2,7-biscarboxyethyl-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein (BCECF) to further characterize the mechanisms of intracellular pH (pHi) regulation in renal mesangial cells. In the accompanying paper [Am. J. Physiol. 255 (Cell Physiol. 24): C844-C856, 1988], we showed that acid extrusion from mesangial cells is mediated by both an ethylisopropylamiloride (EIPA)-sensitive Na+-H+ exchanger and a 4-acetamido-4'-isothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (SITS)-sensitive-HCO3(-)-dependent mechanism. In this study, we examined the ionic dependencies of pHi-regulatory mechanisms in the presence of CO2-HCO3-. We found that in CO2-HCO3-, approximately 90% of the net acid extrusion occurring during recovery from an acid load is blocked by removing external Na+. Short-term (less than 15 min) removal of external Cl- has little effect on the rate of recovery in CO2-HCO3-. In contrast longer periods of external Cl- removal (1-2 h) blocks 40-60% of the rate of recovery, which is consistent with the hypothesis that a large fraction of the SITS-sensitive-HCO3(-)-dependent recovery mechanism described in the preceding paper is also Na+- and Cl(-)-dependent. Therefore, this Cl(-)-dependent component is probably mediated by a Na+-dependent Cl(-)-HCO3- exchanger. As much as 16% of total acid extrusion is insensitive to EIPA and long-term Cl- removal but is blocked by SITS. Thus either 1-2 h of Cl- removal is insufficient to wash out all internal Cl-, or a small component of acid extrusion is mediated by a Cl(-)-independent mechanism, such as the electrogenic Na+/HCO3- cotransporter. We also studied the effect on pHi of the removal and readdition of external Cl-, observing pHi changes consistent with the existence of a Na+-independent Cl(-)-HCO3- exchanger, which would presumably function as an acid loader. In contrast to the Na+-H+ exchanger and Na+-dependent Cl(-)-HCO3- exchanger, which are stimulated at low pHi, the Cl(-)-HCO3- exchanger is stimulated at high pHi. Thus the acid-extruding and acid-loading mechanisms have opposite pHi dependencies.


1997 ◽  
Vol 110 (4) ◽  
pp. 453-465 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark O. Bevensee ◽  
Regina A. Weed ◽  
Walter F. Boron

We studied the regulation of intracellular pH (pHi) in single cultured astrocytes passaged once from the hippocampus of the rat, using the dye 2′,7′-biscarboxyethyl-5,6-carboxyfluorescein (BCECF) to monitor pHi. Intrinsic buffering power (βI) was 10.5 mM (pH unit)−1 at pHi 7.0, and decreased linearly with pHi; the best-fit line to the data had a slope of −10.0 mM (pH unit)−2. In the absence of HCO3−, pHi recovery from an acid load was mediated predominantly by a Na-H exchanger because the recovery was inhibited 88% by amiloride and 79% by ethylisopropylamiloride (EIPA) at pHi 6.05. The ethylisopropylamiloride-sensitive component of acid extrusion fell linearly with pHi. Acid extrusion was inhibited 68% (pHi 6.23) by substituting Li+ for Na+ in the bath solution. Switching from a CO2/HCO3−-free to a CO2/HCO3−-containing bath solution caused mean steady state pHi to increase from 6.82 to 6.90, due to a Na+-driven HCO3− transporter. The HCO3−-induced pHi increase was unaffected by amiloride, but was inhibited 75% (pHi 6.85) by 400 μM 4,4′-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid (DIDS), and 65% (pHi 6.55–6.75) by pretreating astrocytes for up to ∼6.3 h with 400 μM 4-acetamide-4′-isothiocyanatostilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid (SITS). The CO2/HCO3−-induced pHi increase was blocked when external Na+ was replaced with N-methyl-d-glucammonium (NMDG+). In the presence of HCO3−, the Na+-driven HCO3− transporter contributed to the pHi recovery from an acid load. For example, HCO3− shifted the plot of acid-extrusion rate vs. pHi by 0.15–0.3 pH units in the alkaline direction. Also, with Na-H exchange inhibited by amiloride, HCO3− increased acid extrusion 3.8-fold (pHi 6.20). When astrocytes were acid loaded in amiloride, with Li+ as the major cation, HCO3− failed to elicit a substantial increase in pHi. Thus, Li+ does not appear to substitute well for Na+ on the HCO3− transporter. We conclude that an amiloride-sensitive Na-H exchanger and a Na+-driven HCO3− transporter are the predominant acid extruders in astrocytes.


1989 ◽  
Vol 257 (3) ◽  
pp. G317-G327 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. H. Weintraub ◽  
T. E. Machen

Regulation of intracellular pH (pHi) was studied in Fu5, a rat hepatoma cell line that maintains a variety of differentiated functions. Microspectrofluorimetry of the pH-sensitive dye 2',7'-biscarboxyethyl-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein (BCECF) was used to measure pHi in 10-15 cells growing on cover glasses that were mounted in a flow-through chamber on the stage of a microscope. In N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES)-buffered solutions, pHi was 7.14, and intrinsic buffer capacity was inversely related to pHi. Amiloride (0.1 mM) caused pHi to decrease by 0.33 pH units in 4 min. Recovery from an acid load (using either NH4 prepulse technique or Na-free solutions) was completely blocked by amiloride. In HCO3-CO2-buffered solutions, pHi was 7.15, and buffer capacity was relatively insensitive to pHi between pHi of 6.6 and 7.2. Amiloride caused pHi to decrease by only 0.09 units. Recovery from an acid load was Na dependent, occurred in Cl-free solutions, and was totally blocked by the combination of amiloride plus 0.5 mM dihydro-4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (H2DIDS); recovery occurred when either amiloride or H2DIDS was removed. Removal of external Cl caused a rapid, H2DIDS-blockable alkalinization that was faster in HCO3-CO2 than in HEPES. The apparent Km for Clout for relaxation of Cl-free alkalinization was 4.5 mM. Rate of HCO3 transport during Cl-free treatment increased at alkaline resting pHi. It is concluded that Fu5 cells have two Na-dependent base-loading mechanisms and an acid-loading Cl-HCO3 exchanger. In solutions containing HCO3-CO2, the Na-H exchanger accounts for approximately 40% of recovery from an acid load, and a Na-HCO3 cotransporter accounts for the remainder. Recovery from an alkaline load appears to occur through the activity of the Cl-HCO3 exchanger.


1988 ◽  
Vol 92 (3) ◽  
pp. 369-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
N L Nakhoul ◽  
A G Lopes ◽  
J R Chaillet ◽  
W F Boron

We used the absorbance spectrum of 4',5'-dimethyl-5-(and 6) carboxyfluorescein to measure intracellular pH (pHi) in the isolated, perfused S3 segment of the rabbit proximal tubule. Experiments were conducted in HCO3- -free solutions. pHi recovered from an acid load imposed by an NH4+ prepulse, indicating the presence of one or more active acid-extrusion mechanisms. Removal of Na+ from bath and lumen caused pHi to decrease by approximately 0.6, whereas Na+ readdition caused complete pHi recovery. Removal of Na+ from the bath caused only a slow pHi decrease that was enhanced about fourfold when Na+ was subsequently removed from the lumen also. Similarly, the pHi recovery produced by the readdition of Na+ to the bath and lumen was about ninefold faster than when Na+ was returned to the bath only. Amiloride (1-2 mM) inhibited the pHi recovery that was elicited by returning 15 or 29 mM Na+ to lumen by only approximately 30%. However, in the absence of external acetate (Ac-), 1 mM amiloride inhibited approximately 66% of the pHi recovery induced by the readdition of 29 mM Na+ to the lumen only. The removal of external Ac- reduced the pHi recovery rate from an NH4+-induced acid load by approximately 47%, and that elicited by Na+ readdition, by approximately 67%. Finally, when bilateral removal of Na+ was maintained for several minutes, pHi recovered from the initial acidification, slowly at first, and then more rapidly, eventually reaching a pHi approximately 0.1 higher than the initial one. This Na+-independent pHi recovery was not significantly affected by lowering [HEPES]o from 32 to 3 mM or by adding N'N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (10(-4) M) to the lumen, but it was reduced approximately 57% by iodoacetate (0.5 mM) plus cyanide (1 mM). We conclude that in the nominal absence of HCO3-, three transport systems contribute to acid extrusion by S3 cells: (a) a Na+-independent mechanism, possibly an H+ pump; (b) a Na-H exchanger, confined primarily to the luminal membrane; and (c) an Ac- and luminal Na+-dependent mechanism. The contribution of these three mechanisms to total acid extrusion, assessed by the rapid readdition of Na+, was approximately 13, approximately 30, and approximately 57%, respectively.


1988 ◽  
Vol 91 (4) ◽  
pp. 495-513 ◽  
Author(s):  
J M Russell ◽  
M S Brodwick

The intracellular dialysis technique was used to measure unidirectional Cl- fluxes and net acid extrusion by single muscle fibers from the giant barnacle. Decreasing pHi below normal levels of 7.35 stimulated both Cl- efflux and influx. These increases of Cl- fluxes were blocked by disulfonic acid stilbene derivatives such as SITS and DIDS. The SITS-sensitive Cl- efflux was sharply dependent upon pHi, increasing approximately 20-fold as pHi was decreased from 7.35 to 6.7. Under conditions of normal intracellular Mg2+ concentration, the apparent pKa for the activation of Cl- efflux was 7.0. We found that raising [Mg2+]i, but not [Mg2+]o, had a pronounced inhibitory effect on both SITS-sensitive unidirectional Cl- fluxes as well as on SITS-sensitive net acid extrusion. Increasing [Mg2+]i shifted the apparent pKa of Cl- efflux to a more acid value without affecting the maximal flux that could be attained. This relation between pHi and [Mg2+]i on SITS-sensitive Cl- efflux is consistent with a competition between H ions and Mg ions. We conclude that the SITS-inhibitable Cl- fluxes are mediated by the pHi-regulatory transport mechanism and that changes of intracellular Mg2+ levels can modify the activity of the pHi regulator/anion transporter.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document