Biomaterial Database

Characteristics of renal transport of taurine in reptilian brush-border membranes. 1991

S Benyajati, and J L Johnson

Department of Physiology and Biophysics, College of Medicine, University of Oklahoma, Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City 73190.

We examined characteristics of taurine transport across renal brush-border membranes (BBM) of the garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis), a species that demonstrates both net reabsorption and secretion of taurine in vivo. Transport was examined by a rapid filtration technique at 25 degrees C. Inwardly directed Na+ gradient specifically stimulated taurine uptake. Under initial taurine equilibrium condition, a small overshoot of taurine uptake driven by an inwardly directed NaCl gradient could be observed. No stimulation of taurine uptake was observed under Na+ equilibrium or K+, Li+, or choline gradients conditions. Reptilian renal BBM taurine transport also displayed specific Cl- requirement: replacement of NaCl by NaSCN or Na(+)-gluconate gradients inhibited taurine uptake. The uptake was stimulated under Cl- gradient compared with Cl- equilibrium conditions. Taurine transport was not stimulated by H+ gradient in either direction, although it was inhibited by acidic pH (less than 7.0). Amiloride and furosemide had no effects. The transport was electrogenic, stimulated by an inside negative membrane potential, and inhibited by other beta-amino acids. Overall, the reptilian BBM transport system for taurine resembles those observed in both mammalian and fish renal BBM.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007668	Kidney	Body organ that filters blood for the secretion of URINE and that regulates ion concentrations.	Kidneys
D008297	Male		Males
D008564	Membrane Potentials	The voltage differences across a membrane. For cellular membranes they are computed by subtracting the voltage measured outside the membrane from the voltage measured inside the membrane. They result from differences of inside versus outside concentration of potassium, sodium, chloride, and other ions across cells' or ORGANELLES membranes. For excitable cells, the resting membrane potentials range between -30 and -100 millivolts. Physical, chemical, or electrical stimuli can make a membrane potential more negative (hyperpolarization), or less negative (depolarization).	Resting Potentials,Transmembrane Potentials,Delta Psi,Resting Membrane Potential,Transmembrane Electrical Potential Difference,Transmembrane Potential Difference,Difference, Transmembrane Potential,Differences, Transmembrane Potential,Membrane Potential,Membrane Potential, Resting,Membrane Potentials, Resting,Potential Difference, Transmembrane,Potential Differences, Transmembrane,Potential, Membrane,Potential, Resting,Potential, Transmembrane,Potentials, Membrane,Potentials, Resting,Potentials, Transmembrane,Resting Membrane Potentials,Resting Potential,Transmembrane Potential,Transmembrane Potential Differences
D008871	Microvilli	Minute projections of cell membranes which greatly increase the surface area of the cell.	Brush Border,Striated Border,Border, Brush,Border, Striated,Borders, Brush,Borders, Striated,Brush Borders,Microvillus,Striated Borders
D005260	Female		Females
D006863	Hydrogen-Ion Concentration	The normality of a solution with respect to HYDROGEN ions; H+. It is related to acidity measurements in most cases by pH	pH,Concentration, Hydrogen-Ion,Concentrations, Hydrogen-Ion,Hydrogen Ion Concentration,Hydrogen-Ion Concentrations
D000596	Amino Acids	Organic compounds that generally contain an amino (-NH2) and a carboxyl (-COOH) group. Twenty alpha-amino acids are the subunits which are polymerized to form proteins.	Amino Acid,Acid, Amino,Acids, Amino
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D000838	Anions	Negatively charged atoms, radicals or groups of atoms which travel to the anode or positive pole during electrolysis.	Anion
D001692	Biological Transport	The movement of materials (including biochemical substances and drugs) through a biological system at the cellular level. The transport can be across cell membranes and epithelial layers. It also can occur within intracellular compartments and extracellular compartments.	Transport, Biological,Biologic Transport,Transport, Biologic