Evidence for sodium-coupled acid-base transport across the basolateral membrane of the reabsorptive duct of the human eccrine sweat gland

Intracellular pH was measured in isolated nonperfused ducts of human eccrine sweat glands in vitro to investigate basolateral acid-base transport mechanisms. Bath sodium removal led to a bicarbonate-independent, 4-acetamido-4'-isothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid insensitive acidification. The recovery of this acidification was ethylisopropyl amiloride sensitive, suggestive of basolateral sodium:hydrogen exchange. Whereas bath chloride removal led to a small acidification this was not 4-acetamido-4-isothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid sensitive and its causes remain unclear. Elevation of bath potassium to depolarize the basolateral membrane led to a small alkalinization but this was not mimicked by addition of barium or chloride removal. As chloride removal and barium addition would be expected to cause larger depolarizations than potassium elevation these observations do not support a major role for electrogenic acid-base transport. In conclusion, although this study does not support a major role for electrogenic acid-base transport, it has demonstrated the basolateral presence of sodium-coupled acid-base transport in the reabsorptive duct of the human eccrine sweat gland, which most likely represents a sodium:hydrogen exchanger involved in regulation of intracellular pH.