Mechanisms underlying volume regulatory decrease by Necturus gallbladder epithelium

Volume regulatory decrease (VRD) by Necturus gallbladder epithelial cells in Cl Ringer was unaffected by the addition of 5 mM BaCl2 to apical perfusates but was inhibited by the addition of 5 mM BaCl2 and 50 or 3 microM phencyclidine (PCP) to serosal perfusates, suggesting that K channels in the basolateral membrane were activated during VRD. VRD was unaffected by replacement of Cl with NO3 or SCN, suggesting that Cl-dependent Na-K-Cl and K-Cl cotransport were not involved. In SCN Ringer, VRD was inhibited by the addition of 0.1 mM bumetanide to serosal perfusates, suggesting that bumetanide-sensitive anion channels in the basolateral membrane were also activated. A transient 10-mV hyperpolarization of the membrane potential was associated with VRD. The channel blockers that inhibited VRD had little or no effect on the hyperpolarization, suggesting that the changes in membrane potential were unrelated to the changes in cell volume. Perfusion of the apical surface of the epithelium with isotonic solutions containing 10 mM D-glucose resulted in a variable increase in cell volume followed by a variable shrinkage to normal, suggesting that VRD was also activated during organic solute absorption. The increase in cell volume was blocked by the addition of 0.01 or 1 mM phlorizin to mucosal perfusates. The reduction in cell volume was inhibited by the addition of 0.1 mM bumetanide, but not BaCl2 or PCP, to serosal perfusates, indicating the the shrinkage mechanism secondary to glucose addition differed from that seen after exposure to hypotonic perfusates.