Rabbit proximal colon: a distinct transport epithelium.

Rabbit proximal colon (PC), examined in vitro, exhibits transport characteristics distinct from distal colon. Unlike distal colon, PC does not demonstrate amiloride-inhibitable electrogenic Na absorption. Additionally, neither amphotericin nor "stimulatory" anions induce Na absorption in PC. Electrical measurements and radioisotopic flux studies under short-circuit conditions indicate that PC is a moderately leaky epithelium with a conductance (9.0 +/- 0.2 mS) midway between ileum and distal colon; under basal conditions PC has Na and Cl transport rates near zero, and 5.5 microM epinephrine (Epi) stimulates electrically silent Na-Cl coupled absorption. The mechanism of this cotransport was investigated further: Cl substitution with either sulfate or gluconate did not substantially alter Epi-enhanced Na absorption. The Epi stimulation of Cl absorption in a Na-free solution was diminished. Amiloride, 10(-3) M, inhibited Epi-enhanced Na absorption by approximately 50%. The effects of cAMP-mediated (theophylline or 8-bromo-cAMP) and Ca-mediated (ionophore A23187) secretory stimuli were examined. In the basal state, none of these agents had a consistent effect on ion transport. However, after stimulation of Na and Cl absorption by Epi, both of the cAMP-related secretagogues had a marked antiabsorptive effect on Na and Cl transport. The antiabsorptive effects of Ca ionophore A23187 were less marked. These results suggest that rabbit proximal colon a) does not share the transport properties characteristic of distal colon, b) possesses an Epi-sensitive, Na-Cl-coupled absorptive pathway, and c) responds to secretory stimuli in an antiabsorptive manner rather than by electrogenic secretion.