Acute chloride-depletion alkalosis (CDA) in vivo results in sustained net total carbon dioxide (tCO2) secretion in vitro in the rat cortical collecting duct (CCD) for several hours. To determine whether altering in vitro pH and electrolytes similarly result in tCO2 secretion, CCD were incubated for 1 h at 37-degrees-C in an alkalotic environment similar to in vivo arterial pH, P(CO2), and electrolytes (pH 7.6, 40 mM HCO3). The in vitro alkalosis incubation had no effect on tCO2 transport. Second, alteration of the magnitude of vivo alkalosis was correlated with in vitro tCO2 transport. After generation of CDA by intraperitoneal dialysis against 154 mM HCO3-, rats received an infusion for 2.5 h of either 5% dextrose to maintain alkalosis or 154 mM NaCl at differing rates to partially correct or fully correct the systemic alkalosis. After in vitro isolation and perfusion, in vitro tCO2 flux correlated with in vivo Cl- balance (r2 = 0.82), serum HCO3- (r2 = 0.84), and arterial H+ concentration (r2 = 0.78), but not with K+ balance (r2 = 0.33). These findings suggest that 1) the regulation of tCO2 transport in vitro coffelates with the degree of systemic alkalosis and Cl- balance in vivo, and 2) simulating alkalotic pH and electrolytes in vitro does not rapidly alter transport as does in vivo CDA within a similar time. Taken together, pH and electrolyte changes alone cannot account for the rapid adaptation of tCO2 transport in the CCD, but an in vivo factor(s) contributes importantly to alter tCO2 transport in magnitude and direction that would tend to restore normal acid-base balance.
