Ontogeny of K+ transport in rat distal colon.

Infants need to retain more K+ than adults to avoid growth retardation. Since the K+ requirements are different in infants (I) and in adults (A), the mechanisms regulating K+ homeostasis should also be different. The colon plays an important role for the regulation of K+ homeostasis. Colonic K+ transport is bidirectional. In this study we have examined the development of colonic K+ transport with special reference to the contribution of different K(+)-transporting pathways. The net colonic K+ uptake, as determined by in vivo perfusion studies and by 86Rb uptake, was significantly higher in I than in A rats. In both I and A colon, approximately 80% of total 86Rb uptake was dependent on vanadate-sensitive P-type adenosinetriphosphatases (ATPases), but the contribution of these different ATPases changes during development. The activity of colonic Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase, measured as ouabain-sensitive Na(+)-dependent ATP hydrolysis and as 86Rb uptake, was lower in I than in A rats. In contrast, the activity of K(+)-ATPases located in apical membrane and measured as ouabain insensitive and SCH-28080 sensitive, as ouabain-sensitive Na(+)-independent ATP hydrolysis, and as 86Rb uptake was significantly higher in I than in A rats. The ratio between apically located K(+)-ATPases and basolateral Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activities was almost 3.2-fold higher in I than in A colon. We identified with Northern blot the expression of the colonic H(+)-K(+)-ATPase and the Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase alpha-subunits. The alpha-mRNA expression of both ATPases was significantly higher in I than in A rats. The pH and K+ sensitivity of the ouabain-insensitive, SCH-28080-sensitive K(+)-ATPase was the same in I and A colons. In conclusion, the relative activity of apical K+ absorbing ATPases is higher in the I than in the A colon, which should aid infants in retaining K+.