Morphological Adaptive Responses of Gastric Parietal and Colonic Surface Epithelial Cells to Chronic Changes in Dietary Potassium / 대한해부학회지

Potassium (K+) balance is achieved by the control of urinary K+ excretion and by the control of K+ absorption from the digestive tract. It has been established that chronic potassium depletion is associated with a remarkable hypertrophy of the collecting duct of the kidney. But, there is no morphological studies regarding the stomach and distal colon during the chronic changes of potassium diet. Electron microscopy was performed to observe the morphological alterations of the stomach and distal colon in response to chronic changes of potassium diet in rat. Electron microscopy of normal parietal cells revealed the presences of many mitochondia, tubulovesicles, and short basal cytoplasmic processes and microvilli in the intracellular canaliculi. In potasium-depleted parietal cells, mito-chondria were increased in size and number, and tubulovesicles almost disappeared, and microvilli in the intracellular canaliculi were increased in number and length, and short basal cytoplasmic processes were also increased in size and number. Parietal cells of potassium-loading after restriction were found to be almost normal. Two types of surface columnar epithelial cells were present in normal distal colon. Type I cells had many mitochondria and abundant coated vesicles in the supranuclear region. Type II cells had moderate amount of mitochondria and relatively fewer coated vesicles. In comparison with normal, potasium-depleted surface columnar epithelial cells had more abundant and larger mitochondria and more numerous and longer (1.4~1.6 times than normal) microvilli. Surface columnar epithelial cells of potassium-loading after restriction were recovered almost to normal. These results suggest that gastric parietal cells and surface columnar epithelial cells of distal colon adapt through morphological changes to preserve potassium balance during chronic changes of potassium diet.

Gastric Adaptive Responses to Chronic Hypokalemia / 대한해부학회지

To date, most of data regarding H/K-ATPase have been derived from alterations of gene expression or enzymatic activity in kidney. But potassium balance is achieved by the control of urinary K+ excretion and by the control of K+ absorption from the digestive tract. The digestive system is also expected to participate substantively in the regulation of systemic K+ homeostasis during chronic hypokalemia. This study was performed to analyze the expression and distribution of the gastric H/K-ATPase alpha subunit mRNA and protein in rats of chronic changes of potassium diet using Northern blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. Northern blot analysis demonstrate that gastric H/K- ATPase alpha subunit mRNA was abundantly expressed in normal rat stomach not in distal colon. In experimental groups, gastric H/K-ATPase alpha subunit mRNA was also abundantly expressed, but there was no significant differences among all groups. By immunohistochemistry, immunoreactivity of gastric H/K-ATPase alpha subunit was detected in the parietal cells. Reaction products were diffusely localized throughout the cytoplasm. Most of these immunoreactive cells were located in the gastric gland between the neck and base portion of the body, but a few cells in the base or gastric pits. All groups exhibited comparable cellular patterns of labeling and signal intensity. These results suggest that gastric H/K-ATPase alpha subunit does not significantly contribute to potassium conservation during chronic changes of potassium diet in spite of abundant expression.

Morphological Adaptive Responses of Intercalated Cell of Renal Collecting Duct to Chronic Changes of Potassium Diet / 대한신장학회잡지

Potassium(K+) balance is achieved by the control of urinary K+ excretion and by the control of K+ absorption from the digestive tract. It has been established that chronic potassium depletion is associated with a remarkable hypertrophy of the outer medullary collecting duct of the kidney. But, there are no morphological studies regarding the intercalated cells during the chronic changes of potassium diet. Electron microscopy was performed to observe the morphological alterations of the intercalated cell of the entire collecting duct in response to chronic changes of potassium diet in rat kidney. By electron microscopy, the characteristic features of normal type A intercalated cell of the cortical collecting duct included numerous micro-projections of the apical plasma membrane, complicated basal infolding, apical cytoplasmic tubulovesicles, evenly distributed mitochondia, and centrally located nucleus. In potasium-depleted type A intercalated cell, microprojections of the apical plasma membrane were increased in length and number, basal infoldings were uncomplicated, tubulovesicles were almostly disappeared, and mitochondria were increased in number. Type A intercalated cell of potassium-loading after restriction was found to be almost normal except longer microprojections and increased mitochondria. The characteristic features of normal intercalated cell of the outer medullarycollecting duct(OMCD) included relatively short micro-projections of the apical plasma membrane, uncomplicated basal infoldings, apical cytoplasmic tubulovesicles, and apically distributed mitochondia. In comparison with normal, potassium-depleted intercalated cell of OMCD was hypertrophy, microprojections of the apical plasma membrane were increased in length and number, basal infoldings were complicated, tubulovesicles were almost disappeared, mitochondria were increased in number, and several lysosomes were appeared. Intercalated cell of OMCD of potassium-loading after restriction was found to be almost normal except increased cell size, longer microprojections, and increased mitochondria and lysosomes compared to control. The characteristic features of normal intercalated cell of the inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD) included very short and scant microprojections of the apical plasma membrane, uncomplicated basal infoldings,apica cytoplasmic tubulovesicles, evenly distributed mitochondia, and some lysosomes. In potasium-depleted intercalated cell of IMCD, cell size was prominently increased, microprojections of the apical plasma membrane were increased in length and number, basal infoldings were complicated, tubulovesicles were almostly disappeared, and mitochondria were increased in number. Intercalated cell of IMCD of potassium-loading after restriction was found to be almost normal except increased cell size and increased microprojections in number and length compared to control. These results suggest that intercalated cells adapt through morphological changes to preserve potassium balance during chronic changes of potassium diet.