pH- and voltage-dependent conductances in toad skin.

The present study focuses on two closely related topics on ion conductance in toad skins: (i) the interaction of apical protons with the apical voltage-dependent Cl(-)-activated channels of the mitochondria-rich cells, and (ii) the description and characterization of a novel subject, a voltage-dependent H(+)-activated conductance. The Cl- conductance (GCl) is activated by tissue hyperpolarization (which leads to apical membrane depolarization) and the presence of Cl- ions in the apical solution. Increasing apical proton concentration (from pH 8 to pH 4) impairs the process of activation of the Cl- conductive pathway, slowing the kinetics of It activation and reducing the steady-stage values of Gt and It. This effect is markedly voltage-dependent since no effect is seen at Vt = -100 mv and is fully present at -50 mV. The voltage-dependence of the pH effect suggests that the critical protonation sites of the apical Cl- channels are not freely exposed to the apical solution but dwell within the membrane electric field. An also coherent interpretation is that titration of apical proton binding sites affects the gating of the voltage-dependent Cl- channels, shifting the conductance-vs.-voltage curve to more negative clamping potentials. Tissue conductance in the absence of apical Cl- ions can be importantly affected by the pH of the apical solution (pHa), the effect being markedly dependent on the clamping potential. Generally speaking, the effect of rising apical proton concentration can be conspicuous at negative clamping potentials, while at positive potentials changes in tissue conductance were never observed. For a clamping potential of -100 mV, a turning point somewhere between pHa = 4 and pHa = 3 was observed. Apical acidification to pH 4 has no effect upon tissue conductance while apical acidification to pH 3 leads to a marked, slow and reversible increase of tissue conductance. A striking similitude exists between the voltage-dependent Cl(-)-gated conductance and the voltage-dependent proton-gated conductance regarding: (i) slow time courses of activation and deactivation, (ii) requirement for a negative clamping potential and the presence of a specific ion species in the apical solution for activation to take place, (iv) instantaneous ohmic behavior, and (v) steady-state rectification. However, so far the results do not permit one to conclude definitely that the voltage-dependent Cl(-)-gated conductance and the voltage-dependent proton-gated conductance share a common pathway.