Effect of atrial natriuretic factor on the water permeability of endothelial cells.

Atrial natriuretic factor increases the water permeability of the whole endothelium. This study investigates how it would affect the transcellular osmotic water permeability of bovine artery endothelial cells. The cyclic-GMP production by the isolated cells was maximal for 10(-6)M atrial natriuretic factor within 30 minutes at 37 degrees C. The cyclic-GMP protein kinase cell concentration was 1.87 +/- 0.15 ng/mg protein. The control apparent water permeability of the cells measured by light scattering was 195 +/- 11 microns/sec (n = 5). Membrane folding revealed by light and scanning electron microscopy indicated that their true water permeability values would be close to 20-40 microns/sec, similar to the values for lipid membranes. The energy activation calculated from the temperature dependence of water permeability between 15 degrees C and 37 degrees C was 9.3 kcal/mol. This value suggests water movement through the lipid bilayer and not through water channels. Atrial natriuretic factor 10(-6)M did not significantly increase the water permeability of the cells. Hence, atrial natriuretic factor-stimulated increase in water permeability of the endothelium is more related to changes in paracellular water pathways than in transcellular water flux.