Transport of sodium and chloride by the isolated rumen epithelium

¹ Institute of Biological Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

Transepithelial electrical potential, short-circuit current, and resistance measurements were made under different conditions of tissue collection and maintenance. The collection procedure greatly affected tissue resistance and, since the magnitude of the current was relatively independent of the procedure, potential was affected to about the same degree. The highest and least variable resistances were recorded when the tissue was removed from the anesthetized cow and the epithelium carefully dissected free. Short-circuit current and net ion flux decreased with time but the decrease was relatively linear and sufficiently slow to allow their comparison. Rumen epithelium of both species demonstrated active transport of Na and Cl in the direction of lumen to blood. Calculation of partial Na conductances indicated that part of the sodium was transported by exchange diffusion or a sodium chloride transport system.

Key Words: rumen • ruminant digestion • bioelectric potentials • tissue transport • ion transport

Submitted on October 21, 1963