Interaction of heptanol and pressure on sodium and chloride transport by toad skin.

We examined the interaction of heptanol and hydrostatic pressure on Na+ and Cl- transport in isolated toad skin. In the presence of Cl-, heptanol decreased short-circuit current (Isc) and total transepithelial resistance (Rt). However, in the absence of Cl- in the mucosal bath, heptanol increased Rt, although it retained the same inhibitory effect on Isc. When transepithelial active Na+ transport was blocked by amiloride, heptanol had no effect on Isc whether or not Cl- was present, whereas it decreased the shunt resistance (Rs) only in the presence of Cl- in the mucosal bath. Moreover, this effect of heptanol on Rs was significantly smaller in the presence of diphenylamine-2-carboxylate (DPC), a known Cl- channel blocker. Pressure also decreased Isc through inhibition of active Na+ transport, but it increased Rs. When heptanol and pressure were applied together, their inhibitory effects on Isc were additive, but their effects on Rs were antagonistic. Furthermore, when a transepithelial Cl- current was produced by reducing the Cl- concentration of the serosal bath, heptanol stimulated this current, which was reversibly inhibited by pressure or DPC addition to the mucosal bath. When the heptanol-stimulated Cl- current was first inhibited by pressure, subsequent DPC addition had less or no effect. These results suggest that one site of an antagonistic interaction of heptanol and pressure in toad skin is an apical membrane Cl- conductance.