Lecture 25: Chloride Secretion Flashcards
How many steps is in this process?
2
How is chloride accumulated in the cell, above its electrochemical equilibrium?
By a cotransporters located in the Basolateral membrane
What does the accumulation of chloride enable?
It enables chloride to leave the cell via a channel located in the apical membrane
Why does sodium move via the paracellular pathway?
To preserve electroneutrality
Where does the chloride secretion move chloride from?
Blood to lumen (opposite of absorption)
What are the 6 key features of chloride secretion across an epithelial cell?
- Tight junctions
- Sodium/potassium pump
- NaKCl cosymporter accumulates chloride above its electrochemical gradient
- Cl leaves the cell by passive diffusion through the apical membrane
- Na exits the Basolateral membrane and K via a channel (diffusion)
- Paracellular transport of Na and h2o
What is step 1 of chloride secretion?
Tight junctions divide cells into apical and basalateral membrane domains
What is step 2 of chloride secretion?
The Na/K pump sets up the ion gradients (ATP hydrolysis)
Step 3 of chloride secretion?
The Na/K/Cl cosymporter uses the energy from the Na gradient to accumulate chloride above its electrochemical gradient. (Entry step for chloride). Transports 4 ions. Example of secondary active transport. Is electrogenic; (two positive, two negative ions)
What does raising the level of chloride above its electrochemical equilibrium inside the cell mean?
Chloride will want to leave the cell (but can’t get across hydrophobic bilayer).
Step 4 of chloride secretion?
Cl leaves the cell by passive diffusion through an ion channel (in apical membrane) (so, transport from blood to lumen; an active step in the Basolateral membrane and a passive step in the apical membrane)
Step 5 of chloride secretion?
Sodium is moved back across the membrane by the Na/kATPase. (Sodium that leaks in via the NaKCl cosymporter is pumped out).
K diffuses down its electrochemical gradient via a k channel in the Basolateral membrane
Step 6 of chloride secretion?
The transport of Cl across the epithelium induces paracellular Na and water fluxes
Why is the removal of potassium important?
Because its exit leaves behind a negative charge (increasing or maintaining the resting membrane potential, making it more negative, so chloride wants to leave cell-therefore enhances electrochemical gradient for chloride to move out if the cell)
What does the movement of chloride into the lumen do to the lumen?
It makes the lumen negative
What happens if the lumen is negative?
It attracts positive ions which attracts water
So what does chloride secretion secrete in total?
Sodium chloride and water (as chloride attracts sodium and water via paracellular transport)
What is the osmolarity of the secretes chloride solution?
The same as the osmolarity of the blood
What tonicity of fluid have you secreted via chloride secretion?
An isotonic solution
What happens in chloride solution (in regards to volume)
You e moved the volume of fluid in the blood across the epithelial cell into the lumen
What can be in the solution secreted into the lumen?
Saliva and enzymes (which in small intestine can facilitate the process of digestion)
Why does chloride secretion occur?
Movement of chloride across the cell
Leaky tight junction allowing Na/h2o to cross
How are the tight junctions in chloride secretion different to in glucose secretion?
It’s more permeable to sodium than chloride (so a change in molecular permeability of tight junctions)
Why do you need to control chloride secretion?
If you don’t, you will pump your body dry of all your salts and waters (therefore, become dehydrated)
What happens if the chloride channel is continuously open?
Chloride will keep moving out of the cell (and therefore water and sodium too); as its a channel, millions of chloride ions can move through per second)
Although Cl is accumulated in the cell above its electrochemical equilibrium, why can it not leave the cell?
Because it can only leave the cell when the Cl channel is open
Is the Cl channel strictly regulated?
Yes, it is gated
What is the rate limiting step of Cl secretion?
The opening/closing of the chloride channel (for example, bread shop analogy- neurotransmitters cause the Cl channel to open as saliva is generated to start digestion process)
What is the official name of the chloride channel?
The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR)
Does everyone have the CFTR gene?
Yes, normally it’s fine, but in those with cystic fibrosis the gene is mutated (which relates to chloride secretion)
What happens in normal people if you overstimulate the CFTR gene?
You get secretory diarrhoea
What happens to the CFTR gene if you have cystic fibrosis?
The CFTR is mutated, dysfunctional and essentially blocked