The electrical potential difference, short circuit current and Na + and Cl − transport across different segments of sheep colon

Abstract

1. 1. The electrical potential difference (pd) and short circuit current (Isc) across the sheep colon descendens was significantly higher than across the sheep colon ascendens. 2. 2. The ion equivalent of the Isc and the net Na + transport from the mucosal (m) to the serosal (s) side of the short-circuited sheep colon descendens were identical, while the net Na + transport across the colon ascendens exceeded the ion equivalent of the Isc. 3. 3. There was a net m-s Cl − transport across both short-circuited colon segments, indicating that Cl −, like Na +, is absorbed by active transport. 4. 4. The results suggest that active Na + transport across the sheep colon descendens occurs entirely by an electrogenic mechanism, whereas active Na + transport across sheep colon ascendens probably occurs by both an electrogenic and an electrically silent mechanism.