Effect of amphotericin B and Cl- removal on basolateral membrane K+ conductance in frog corneal epithelium.

Increase in stromal K+ concentration from 4 to 79 mM in an in vitro preparation of the frog cornea, in Cl(-)-free solutions, did not change the apical membrane fractional resistance, fR0, or the transepithelial conductance, gt; it depolarized the intracellular potential, V0, by 38 mV and decreased the short-circuit current, Isc by 2.9 microA/cm2. These changes were similar to those observed for the same increase in stromal K+ in control solutions except for the increase in gt in the latter. When stromal K+ was increased with 10(-5) M amphotericin B, AmB, in the tear solution, fR0 increased by 0.27 in control solutions and by 0.08 in Cl(-)-free solutions; respectively, gt increased by 0.40 and by 0.17 mS/cm2; Isc decreased by 12 and by 11 mS/cm2; V0 depolarized by 9 and by 9.5 mV. These results support the concept that: (i) entrance of Cl- into the cell is responsible in part for the bioelectrical changes observed when stromal K+ is increased; and (ii) AmB decreases the partial K+ conductance in the basolateral membrane of the frog cornea epithelium by a decrease in intracellular K+.