Retinal pigment epithelial origin of bicarbonate response.

The mechanisms of the bicarbonate-induced decrease in the ocular standing potential (bicarbonate response) were investigated in the cat. An intravenous infusion of 1.4% sodium bicarbonate solution caused a decrease in the standing potential. A high-bicarbonate solution decreased or increased the potential across the retinal pigment epithelium-choroid tissue of the excised cat eye when applied basally or apically, respectively, but did not affect the potential across the anterior portion of the excised eye or across the isolated neural retina. A high-bicarbonate solution principally depolarized the apical membrane of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) when applied basally, and hyperpolarized it when applied apically. These results suggest that the bicarbonate response in the cat is primarily due to the effects of an increase in bicarbonate concentration on the basal membrane of the RPE.