Cell volume regulation in goldfish intestinal mucosa

Abstract

1. Ion and water content of goldfish intestinal mucosa, stripped free from muscular layers were measured under various incubation conditions. 2. Ouabain induces an increase in cation content that is electrically compensated for by chloride. The increase in solute content is accompanied by an increase in water content. 3. When extracellular chloride is partially replaced by sulphate, ouabain does induce cell shrinkage. 4. Anoxia induces a rapid increase in cell volume that is restored by oxygenation of the incubation solution. Ouabain prevents the restoration of volume. 5. It is concluded that the classical ouabain-sensitive Na/K pump participates in the maintenance of cellular volume. We suggest that the constancy in volume after ouabain poisoning as is reported for many tissues might be due to a low chloride conductance of its membranes. 6. Anisotonic media (range: 0.6-1.2 isotonicity), made by variation on mannitol concentration, induce changes in cell water content that deviates from the simplified van't Hoff equation by about 10%. No change in water content after the initial increase was found. 7. We conclude that goldfish enterocytes do not possess a mechanism for rapid volume readjustment.