Direct Measurement of K Movement by 39K NMR in Perfused Rat Mandibular Salivary Gland Stimulated with Acetylcholine

The intracellular K content (Kin) of the isolated perfused rat mandibular gland was measured by 39K NMR spectroscopy at 25 degrees C, using an inversion recovery technique based on the fact that the spin-lattice (T1) relaxation of Kin is much faster than that of the extracellular K. Kin decreased by 30-34% of the resting level and reached a plateau level during secretion evoked by a sustained infusion of 1 mumol/l acetylcholine. Addition of 1 mmol/l ouabain decreased Kin by an additional 41% of the resting level. The K net flux to the blood and saliva was calculated from the K concentrations and flow rates of the effluent and the saliva. At an initial stage of secretion the gland lost K to the vascular side at a rate of 12.6 +/- 1.8 mumol/g-min (mean +/- SEM, n = 7). During sustained secretion, the gland took K up from the vascular side at a rate of 3.3 +/- 0.7 mumol/g-min (n = 7), and the same amount of K was secreted into the saliva (4.7 +/- 1.1 at 5-10 min, 2.8 +/- 0.8 mumol/g-min at 20-30 min), resulting in no net K movement from the gland. Addition of 1 mmol/l ouabain stopped salivary secretion and caused a transient K release to the vascular side at a maximum rate of 12.8 +/- 1.1 mumol/g-min. Withdrawal of acetylcholine and ouabain induced K uptake from the vascular side (6.5 +/- 0.7 mumol/g-min) and the amount of K released was completely restored when Kin recovered completely.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)