Description The cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) gene codes for the CFTR protein; a chloride channel protein that helps in the transportation of chloride ions and water molecules across the cell membranes of lungs, liver, pancreas, and skin. CFTR is a member of the ATP-binding cassette family of membrane transport proteins, but appears to be unique within this family by functionin...

Chloride channels were previously purified from bovine kidney cortex membranes using a drug affinity column. Reconstitution of the purified proteins into artificial liposomes and planar bilayers yielded chloride channels. A 64 x 10(3) M(r) protein, p64, identified as a component of this chloride channel, was used to generate antibodies which depleted solubilized kidney membranes of all chloride...

The chloride channel ClC-2 has been implicated in neonatal airway chloride secretion. To assess its role in secretion by the small intestine, we assessed its subcellular expression in ileal segments obtained from mice and studied the chloride transport properties of this tissue. Chloride secretion across the mucosa of murine ileal segments was assessed in Ussing chambers as negative short-circu...

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is an ATP-regulated, cAMP-activated chloride channel located in the apical membrane of many epithelial secretory cells. Here we report cloning of a cAMP-activated epithelial basolateral chloride conductance regulator (EBCR) that appears to be a basolateral CFTR counterpart. This novel chloride channel or regulator shows 49% identity wit...

The present study was designed to observe the properties of swelling-activated chloride channel (ICl.swell) in mouse cardiac myocytes using patch clamp techniques. In whole-cell recordings, hypotonic solution activated a chloride current that exhibited outward rectification, weak voltage-dependent inactivation, and anion selectivity with permeability sequence of I- > Br- > Cl-. The current was ...

The skeletal muscle chloride channel CLC-1 and the ubiquitous volume-activated chloride channel CLC-2 belong to a large gene family whose members often show overlapping expression patterns. CLC-1 and CLC-2 are coexpressed in skeletal and smooth muscle and in the heart. By coexpressing CLC-1 and CLC-2 in Xenopus oocytes, we now show the formation of novel CLC-1/CLC-2 heterooligomers that yield t...

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) constitutes a linear conductance chloride channel, which is regulated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation at multiple sites located in the intracellular regulatory (R) domain. Studies in a lipid bilayer system, reported here, provide evidence for the control of CFTR chloride channel by its R domain. The exogenous R doma...

Glycine, strychnine and certain chloride channel blockers were reported to protect cells against lethal cell injury. These effects have been attributed to interactions with membrane proteins related to CNS glycine gated chloride channel receptors. We have investigated the pharmacology of these actions. Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) epithelial cells were depleted of adenosine triphosphate (AT...

The single-channel inside-out patch clamp technique was used to characterize chloride channels in the apical membranes of human airway epithelial cells maintained in primary culture. Patches were obtained from single isolated cells or from cells at the edges of confluent groups. The channel seen most often, in 24% of all patches, had a conductance of approximately 20 pS and had a linear current...