AJP - Cell Physiology, Vol 269, Issue 4 C870-C877, Copyright © 1995 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

Osmolar changes regulate the paracellular permeability of cultured human cervical epithelium

G. I. Gorodeski, B. J. De Santis, J. Goldfarb, W. H. Utian and U. Hopfer
Department of Reproductive Biology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA.

Extracellular nucleotides induce a biphasic change in the transepithelial electrical conductance (GT) of human cervical cells grown on filters: a rapid increase (phase I) followed by a sustained decrease (phase II). To probe the involvement of the intercellular space, its magnitude was varied by manipulating cell volume through changes in extracellular osmolarity. Under baseline conditions [GT = 115 mS/cm2 (approximately 9 omega.cm2)] and during phase II, hypertonic challenges resulted in an increase in GT (0.98% .mosmol-1.l-1 and 0.73%.mosmol-1.l-1, respectively). However, a hypertonic challenge during phase I decreased GT (-0.16%.mosmol-1.l-1). Hypotonic challenges decreased GT during baseline, phase I, and phase II conditions by -1%.mosmol-1.l-1. Similar trends were observed with regard to pyranine permeability. Reduction of extracellular calcium increased GT, abrogated the phase II effect of extracellular ATP, and reversed the effect of a hypertonic challenge. The additive nature of the permeability changes in response to osmotic challenges and to ATP during phase II suggests that different sites are involved in each response, i.e., the resistance of the intercellular space changes with osmolarity and that of the tight junction during phase II.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				E. M. Blumenthal Modulation of tyramine signaling by osmolality in an insect secretory epithelium Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, November 1, 2005; 289(5): C1261 - C1267. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. I. Gorodeski Calcium regulates estrogen increase in permeability of cultured CaSki epithelium by eNOS-dependent mechanism Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, November 1, 2000; 279(5): C1495 - C1505. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. M. Cho, N. P. Ziats, D. Pal, W. H. Utian, and G. I. Gorodeski Estrogen modulates paracellular permeability of human endothelial cells by eNOS- and iNOS-related mechanisms Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, February 1, 1999; 276(2): C337 - C349. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. I. Gorodeski Estrogen increases the permeability of the cultured human cervical epithelium by modulating cell deformability Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, September 1, 1998; 275(3): C888 - C899. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. I. Gorodeski, D. Pal, E. A. Rorke, R. L. Eckert, and P. Burfeind Retinoids modulate P2U purinergic receptor-mediated changes in transcervical paracellular permeability Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, April 1, 1998; 274(4): C1108 - C1116. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. LANG, G. L. BUSCH, M. RITTER, H. VOLKL, S. WALDEGGER, E. GULBINS, and D. HAUSSINGER Functional Significance of Cell Volume Regulatory Mechanisms Physiol Rev, January 1, 1998; 78(1): 247 - 306. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. I. Gorodeski, R. L. Eckert, D. Pal, W. H. Utian, and E. A. Rorke Retinoids regulate tight junctional resistance of cultured human cervical cells Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, November 1, 1997; 273(5): C1707 - C1713. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]