Effect of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD) on transport parameters in the frog cornea epithelium.

Dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD) is a carboxyl group modifier and it is an inhibitor of various ATPases. Present experiments, using an in vitro preparation, were designed to study whether DCCD affected the transporters of the bullfrog cornea epithelium, specifically, the Na(+)/K(+) ATPase pump located in the basolateral membrane. For this purpose, corneas were impaled with microelectrodes and experiments were done under short-circuit current (I(sc)) conditions. Addition of DCCD to a concentration of 10(-4) m to the tear solution gave a marked decrease in I(sc); a marked depolarization of the intracellular potential, V(o); and a significant decrease in the apical membrane fractional resistance, fR(o). There were small and variable although significant changes in the transepithelial conductance, g(t). The effects may be explained by a decrease in the basolateral membrane K(+) conductance, in combination with a partial inhibition of the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase pump located in the basolateral membrane. There is also evidence for an increase in the apical membrane Cl(-) conductance.