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Intracellular pH (pHi) was followed with micro-electrodes in frog semitendinosus muscle, superfused at 22 degrees C with hypertonic solutions (external pH, pHo, 7.35) containing 2.5, 15 or 50 mM-K. Tonicity was doubled by addition of 250 mM-mannitol or, in a few cases, 125 mM-extra NaCl. Tripling of tonicity was accomplished by adding 500 mM-mannitol. Because of the ability of hypertonicity to minimize contracture, the course of pHi could be followed from the start of depolarization. The pHi of fibres after about 40 min in Ringer solution (2.5 mM-K, HEPES buffer) of twice normal tonicity was 7.40 +/- 0.04 (S.E. of mean) (n = 17), about 0.2 higher than at normal tonicity. The membrane potential, Vm, was -87.7 +/- 1.3 mV. When the muscle was depolarized in 50 mM-K to about -30 mV, the pHi rapidly fell by 0.3-0.5 unit (n = 9), and then promptly returned. This recovery was followed by a much slower and progressive rise to above control. Removing Na from the medium did not affect the degree of acidification, but the pHi recovered at a slightly slower rate, did not reach control value and showed no progressive rise. A less pronounced transient acidification was also observed when the muscle was depolarized in 15 mM-K to about -60 mV. When contracture was prevented either by 1-2 mM-tetracaine under isotonic conditions or by raising tonicity 3-fold, 50 mM-K produced no transient acidification. When the pHi of resting fibres in Ringer solution (2.5 mM-K) of twice normal tonicity was reduced by 5% CO2 from 7.40 to 7.12 +/- 0.07 (n = 3), it recovered at a slow rate (0.06 +/- 0.03 delta pHi h-1). Depolarization by 15 or 50 mM-K enhanced recovery rate 4-6-fold. These solutions of twice normal tonicity, as compared to those of normal tonicity, shifted the curve relating pHi recovery rate and membrane potential along the potential axis in the direction of hyperpolarization. This shift may be due to increased ionic shielding of fixed negative charges at the inner membrane surface. At twice normal tonicity, the very slow pHi recovery of resting fibres from CO2-induced acidification, as well as the more rapid recovery in depolarized fibres, could be abolished by 1 mM-amiloride or by removing Na. The application of amiloride during pHi recovery in 50 mM-K was not associated with an observable change in Vm. SITS had no significant effect on recovery.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)