Is gastro-intestinal mucus an ion-selective barrier?

  • 1 January 1989
    • journal article
    • Vol. 43, 117-21
Abstract
The mucus layer at the epithelial surface seems to be responsible for the formation of a microclimate in which the concentrations of H+, K+, Na+, and Cl- are rather constant. It is possible that this is not due simply to an unstirred layer effect, but also to a higher diffusion resistance of mucus. Flux measurements revealed that sodium and potassium permeabilities in mucus are 50% lower than those in saline. Dilution and biionic diffusion potentials indicated a higher relative permeability of mucus for sodium and potassium than for chloride. Thus mucus represents a diffusion barrier, slightly more permeable for cations than for anions.

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