Maintenance and regulation of the pH microclimate at the luminal surface of the distal colon of guinea-pig

1. The fluorescent dye 5-N-hexadecanoyl-aminofluorescein (HAF) was used to study the mechanisms involved in maintaining a relatively constant luminal surface pK (pH(s)) in the distal colon of the guinea-pig. The fatty acyl chain of the HAF molecule inserts into the apical membrane of epithelial cells. This allows a continuous measurement of the surface pH for several hours. 2. The localization of HAF was confirmed by confocal laser-scanning microscopy and by using monoclonal antibodies against fluorescein. The insertion of HAF into the apical membrane of the colonocytes did not change the transepithelial conductance or the short-circuit current of the epithelium. 3. With the HAF method a pH microclimate was confirmed at the colonic surface. Although the pH of the bulk luminal solution was decreased in bicarbonate-containing solution from 7.4 to 6.4 the pH(s) changed only in the range 7.54-6.98. 4. In the absence of bicarbonate pH(s) almost followed changes of bulk luminal pH. In the presence of bicarbonate there was a decrease in pH(s) after removal of chloride from the luminal side and an increase in pH(s) after addition of butyrate to the luminal solution. This suggests the involvement of a bicarbonate-anion exchange in bicarbonate secretion: a Cl--HCO3- as well as a short-chain fatty acid(-)-HCO3- exchange. 5. The apical K+-H+-ATPase in the distal colon of guinea-pig has little influence on pH(s) in the presence of physiological buffer concentrations. 6. Our findings indicate that bicarbonate plays a major role in maintaining the pH microclimate at the colonic surface.