Inhibition of acid secretion of fundus of Rana pipiens with a high concentration of potassium on the secretory side.

Inhibition of acid secretion of the frog fundus is generally accompanied by an increase in transmucosal resistance, Rt, and in potential difference, PD (nutrient normally positive). These results are predicted for the intact tissue by an electrogenic proton pump. It has been suggested that the increase in PD with inhibition can also be explained by a neutral proton pump. The latter model postulates a K+ diffusion potential across the secretory (lumen-facing) membrane tending to make the secretory side positive. Upon inhibition, the [K+] in the lumen is assumed to increase, which decreases the diffusion potential, resulting in an increase in the positivity of the nutrient side. To test this theory, we determined the effects of inhibition with a high [K+] on the secretory side. With a high [K+] in the lumina, inhibition would result in only a small change in the ratio of K+ in the cell to that in the lumina, and hence a small change in the diffusion potential. We found, however, that inhibition increased the PD essentially the same as in the controls. With inhibition the resistance also increased with high secretory K+. Elevating the secretory K+ during secretion produced a 44% decrease in Rt indicating a large increase in luminal K+. We conclude that the results are not compatible with the K+ diffusion potential model but are those predicted by the electrogenic concept.