Net ion transports in rabbit nasal airway epithelium (RNAE) were estimated from unidirectional fluxes of 22Na+, 36Cl-, and 86Rb+ (K+ tracer), short-circuit current (Isc), and epithelial conductance (Gt) under short-circuit conditions in excised parallel RNAE from the two sides of the nasal septum mounted in Ussing chambers at 37 degrees C. Net Na+ absorption (JNa; 76 nmol.min-1.cm-2) was nearly equal to the net charge flux (Jnet), equivalent to the control Isc of 137 microA/cm2 (Jnet = Isc/zF = 85 neq.min-1.cm-2). Secretions of Cl- (9 nmol.min-1.cm-2) and K+ (Rb+) (1.2 nmol.min-1.cm-2) were small. Intra-animal variations between right- and left-side Isc values were small compared with large interanimal variations, suggesting long-term regulation of JNa. Serosal ouabain (10(-4) M) abolished Isc. Mucosal amiloride (10(-4) M) maximally inhibited Isc by 68% and JNa by 78%, abolished K+ (Rb+) secretion, increased Cl- secretion slightly (to 16 nmol.min-1.cm-2), and decreased control Gt (13.4 mS/cm2) by 26%. Amiloride-insensitive JNa was inhibited approximately 50% by mucosal hydrochlorothiazide (10(-4) M) but not by mucosal bumetanide, phloridzine, or ethoxzolamide. The Cl- secretion was abolished by serosal bumetanide (10(-4) M) and also by mucosal diphenylamine-2-carboxylate (2.5.10(-4) M) or bumetanide (10(-4) M). Serosal Ba2+ (2 mM) inhibited JNa and increased K+ (Rb+) secretion. The latter was blocked by mucosal Ba2+. Passive Cl- (but not Na+) fluxes varied proportionally with Gt and were approximately four times higher than passive Na+ fluxes, suggesting 1) significant anion selectivity of a low-resistance paracellular pathway and 2) separate routes for paracellular Cl- and Na+ fluxes. We conclude that RNAE is a suitable model organ for studies of regulation of JNa in native human airway epithelia.