Skip to main content
NCBI home page
The Journal of Physiology logoLink to The Journal of Physiology
. 1970 Sep;210(1):73–85. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1970.sp009196

Effects of prolonged saline exposure on water, sodium and urea transport and on electron-microscopical characteristics of the isolated urinary bladder of the toad Bufo bufo

P Ackrill, J S Dixon, R Green, S Thomas
PMCID: PMC1395649  PMID: 5500822

Abstract

1. A comparison was made of various transport properties and electron-microscopical characteristics of isolated urinary bladders from toads (Bufo bufo) maintained in either tap water or 0·7% saline (0·7 g NaCl in 100 ml. H2O) for 10 days to 2 months.

2. In the absence of Pitressin, isolated bladders from saline-adapted toads showed:

(a) markedly, and significantly, lower osmotic water flow;

(b) moderately, but not significantly, lower urea permeability;

(c) no significant change in net sodium transport (measured as short-circuit current, Isc); and

(d) significantly smaller intercellular space/mucosal cell ratios in electron-micrographs.

3. Differences in the transport and electron-microscopical characteristics between bladders from water-exposed and saline-adapted toads became more evident in the presence of exogenous Pitressin (10 m-u./ml. serosal solution):

(a) the stimulating influence of Pitressin on osmotic water flow, short-circuit current and urea permeability was considerably smaller in bladders from saline-adapted toads than in those from water-exposed toads;

(b) the influence of Pitressin on short-circuit current was reduced more profoundly than that on either water flow or urea permeability;

(c) the Pitressin-induced increment in intercellular space/mucosal cell ratio was significantly smaller in electron-micrographs of bladders from saline-adapted toads than in those from water exposed toads.

4. The effects of saline adaptation are discussed in relation to decreased permeability of mucosal membrane barriers.

Full text

PDF
73

Images in this article

84-4Plate 4
on p.84-4
84-1Plate 1
on p.84-1
84-2Plate 2
on p.84-2
84-3Plate 3
on p.84-3

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Ackrill P., Hornby R., Thomas S. Responses of Rana temporaria and Rana esculenta to prolonged exposure to a saline environment. Comp Biochem Physiol. 1969 Mar;28(3):1317–1329. doi: 10.1016/0010-406x(69)90569-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. BENTLEY P. J. The effects of neurohypophysial extracts on the water transfer across the wall of the isolated urinary bladder of the toad Bufo marinus. J Endocrinol. 1958 Sep;17(3):201–209. doi: 10.1677/joe.0.0170201. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bentley P. J. The physiology of the urinary bladder of amphibia. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc. 1966 May;41(2):275–316. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-185x.1966.tb01494.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. CHOI J. K. The fine structure of the urinary bladder of the toad, Bufo marinus. J Cell Biol. 1963 Jan;16:53–72. doi: 10.1083/jcb.16.1.53. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. CRABBE J. Stimulation of active sodium transport across the isolated toad bladder after injection of aldosterone to the animal. Endocrinology. 1961 Oct;69:673–682. doi: 10.1210/endo-69-4-673. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. CRABBE J. Stimulation of active sodium transport by the isolated toad bladder with aldosterone in vitro. J Clin Invest. 1961 Nov;40:2103–2110. doi: 10.1172/JCI104436. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. FARQUHAR M. G., PALADE G. E. Junctional complexes in various epithelia. J Cell Biol. 1963 May;17:375–412. doi: 10.1083/jcb.17.2.375. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. FAWCETT J. K., SCOTT J. E. A rapid and precise method for the determination of urea. J Clin Pathol. 1960 Mar;13:156–159. doi: 10.1136/jcp.13.2.156. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Ferreira H. G., Smith M. W. Effect of a saline environment on sodium transport by the toad colon. J Physiol. 1968 Sep;198(2):329–343. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1968.sp008609. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. GLAUERT A. M., GLAUERT R. H. Araldite as an embedding medium for electron microscopy. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1958 Mar 25;4(2):191–194. doi: 10.1083/jcb.4.2.191. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Handler J. S., Preston A. S., Orloff J. Effect of adrenal steroid hormones on the response of the toad's urinary bladder to vasopressin. J Clin Invest. 1969 May;48(5):823–833. doi: 10.1172/JCI106040. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Hornby R., Thomas S. Effect of prolonged saline-exposure on sodium transport across frog skin. J Physiol. 1969 Feb;200(2):321–344. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1969.sp008696. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Keynes R. D. From frog skin to sheep rumen: a survey of transport of salts and water across multicellular structures. Q Rev Biophys. 1969 Aug;2(3):177–281. doi: 10.1017/s0033583500001086. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Leaf A. Membrane effects of antidiuretic hormone. Am J Med. 1967 May;42(5):745–756. doi: 10.1016/0002-9343(67)90092-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. MAETZ J., JARD S., MOREL F. Action de l'aldostérone sur le transport actif de sodium de la peau de grenouille. C R Hebd Seances Acad Sci. 1958 Jul 28;247(4):516–518. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. MAFFLY R. H., HAYS R. M., LAMDIN E., LEAF A. The effect of neurohypophyseal hormones on the permeability of the toad bladder to urea. J Clin Invest. 1960 Apr;39:630–641. doi: 10.1172/JCI104078. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Orloff J., Handler J. The role of adenosine 3',5'-phosphate in the action of antidiuretic hormone. Am J Med. 1967 May;42(5):757–768. doi: 10.1016/0002-9343(67)90093-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. PAK POY R. F., BENTLEY P. J. Fine structure of the epithelial cells of the toad urinary bladder. Exp Cell Res. 1960 Jun;20:235–237. doi: 10.1016/0014-4827(60)90246-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. PALADE G. E. A study of fixation for electron microscopy. J Exp Med. 1952 Mar;95(3):285–298. doi: 10.1084/jem.95.3.285. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. PEACHEY L. D., RASMUSSEN H. Structure of the toad's urinary bladder as related to its physiology. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1961 Aug;10:529–553. doi: 10.1083/jcb.10.4.529. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. REYNOLDS E. S. The use of lead citrate at high pH as an electron-opaque stain in electron microscopy. J Cell Biol. 1963 Apr;17:208–212. doi: 10.1083/jcb.17.1.208. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of Physiology are provided here courtesy of The Physiological Society

RESOURCES