Sodium, phosphorus, chloride and potassium concentrations were measured by a new method in individual principal and intercalated cells in the cortical collecting duct in vitro. Electron microprobe analysis was applied to freeze-dried cryosections of the isolated perfused rabbit cortical collecting duct. Cell analyses were performed under control conditions and after addition of ouabain to the bath. Under control conditions similar sodium, potassium, chloride, and phosphorus concentration (means +/- SEM) were observed in principal (10.0 +/- 0.6, 126.5 +/- 2.7, 24.6 +/- 1.0, and 121.5 +/- 3.5 mmol/kg wet weight, respectively) and intercalated cells (9.0 +/- 0.9, 127.1 +/- 4.2, 27.4 +/- 1.8, and 118.7 +/- 4.9 mmol/kg wet weight, respectively). In principal cells ouabain (10 min) caused an increase in sodium and chloride concentrations by 104 and 13 mmol/kg wet weight, and a decrease in potassium and phosphorus concentrations by 106 and 32 mmol/kg wet weight. These changes in cell element concentrations can be ascribed to an exchange of intracellular potassium against extracellular sodium and to cell swelling due to influx of extracellular fluid. The effects of ouabain on intercalated cells were far less pronounced than on principal cells. This different susceptibility to ouabain of principal and intercalated cells can be ascribed to differences in active and passive transmembrane ion transport pathways.