Integrated regulation of intestinal epithelial transport: inter-
and intracellular pathways.
Barrett, Kim E.
Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, School
of Medicine, San Diego, CA 92103
APStracts 3:0403C, 1996.
The intestinal epithelium is an important site of active solute
transport processes. Such processes include the secretion of
electrolytes into the lumen, predominantly chloride and bicarbonate.
These secretory mechanisms subserve a variety of functions, both
physiological and pathophysiological, including maintenance of the
fluidity of intestinal contents, and mucosal defense. Both chloride
and bicarbonate secretion are the subject of integrated regulatory
mechanisms, at both the inter- and intracellular levels. The goal of
this article is to discuss data that exemplify these two levels of
regulation, which have been the subject of research in my laboratory.
It is likely that some of these principles are also broadly
applicable to secretory epithelial cells outside of the intestinal
tract, such as those in the airway. I will also discuss the ways in
which we believe these regulatory mechanisms are involved not only in
intestinal physiology, but also perhaps in the pathogenesis of
specific disease states.
Received 10 October 1996; accepted in final form 12 December
1996.
APS Manuscript Number C585-6.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Cell Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1996 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 31 December 1996