Figure 6.

Metalloproteinase activity and HB-EGF ligand are required for stretch-induced capacitance changes. Rabbit uroepithelium was isolated and mounted in Ussing stretch chambers. (A) Tissue was pretreated with 10 μM GM-6001 or inactive GM-6001 analogue for 30 min before stretch. (B) Tissue was incubated with the specified ligand-neutralizing antibodies (20 μg/ml) added to the mucosal surface for 1 h before equilibration of the tissue and stretch. (C) Tissue was pretreated 30 min with 5 μg/ml CRM-197 toxin and then stretched in the presence or absence of 100 ng/ml mucosal EGF. In each panel, mean changes in capacitance ± SEM (n ≥ 3) are shown. *, Statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) relative to control stretch samples.