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Peter F. Curran

1. The transport of potassium across the distal tubular epithelium was studied in vivo in rats on a normal potassium intake and in rats in which distal tubular potassium secretion was either stimulated by potassium loading or the I.V. administration of a 5% sodium bicarbonate solution or in which potassium secretion was suppressed by dietary deprivation of potassium or sodium.

2. ⁴²K was used to measure unidirectional fluxes across the luminal and peritubular cell membranes and to assess the magnitude of cellular potassium partaking in the transport process. This was accomplished by the simultaneous perfusion of the peritubular capillary network with ⁴²K-Ringer and of the distal tubular lumen with initially tracer-free solution. From the steady-state flux and the time course of tracer washout into the lumen after discontinuing the peritubular perfusion, unidirectional fluxes, rate coefficients of ion transfer and cellular transport pools could be measured.

3. Transepithelial movement of potassium involves mixing with a variable cellular potassium transport pool. The latter is significantly elevated in conditions of enhanced distal tubular potassium secretion; cellular potassium labelling is reduced in conditions in which potassium secretion has been suppressed by potassium deprivation.

4. Evidence is presented that changes in the peritubular transport pattern are primarily responsible for modifications of potassium translocation. Thus, stimulation of potassium secretion is associated with increased peritubular potassium uptake; a reduced potassium uptake across the peritubular cell membrane accounts for the fall in potassium secretion in potassium-depleted animals. Whereas passive entry of potassium across the peritubular membrane is augmented in potassium-loaded animals, the induction of metabolic alkalosis by the administration of 5% sodium bicarbonate stimulates active potassium uptake across the peritubular cell membrane. Sodium deprivation stimulates active reabsorptive transfer of potassium from the tubular lumen.