| Summary: | Abstract Background Alterations of bioelectrical properties of cells and tissues are known to function as wide-ranging signals during development, regeneration and wound-healing in several species. The Drosophila follicle-cell epithelium provides an appropriate model system for studying the potential role of electrochemical signals, like intracellular pH (pHi) and membrane potential (Vmem), during development. Therefore, we analysed stage-specific gradients of pHi and Vmem as well as their dependence on specific ion-transport mechanisms. Results Using fluorescent indicators, we found distinct alterations of pHi- and Vmem-patterns during stages 8 to 12 of oogenesis. To determine the roles of relevant ion-transport mechanisms in regulating pHi and Vmem and in establishing stage-specific antero-posterior and dorso-ventral gradients, we used inhibitors of Na+/H+-exchangers and Na+-channels (amiloride), V-ATPases (bafilomycin), ATP-sensitive K+-channels (glibenclamide), voltage-dependent L-type Ca2+-channels (verapamil), Cl−-channels (9-anthroic acid) and Na+/K+/2Cl−-cotransporters (furosemide). Either pHi or Vmem or both parameters were affected by each tested inhibitor. While the inhibition of Na+/H+-exchangers (NHE) and amiloride-sensitive Na+-channels or of V-ATPases resulted in relative acidification, inhibiting the other ion-transport mechanisms led to relative alkalisation. The most prominent effects on pHi were obtained by inhibiting Na+/K+/2Cl−-cotransporters or ATP-sensitive K+-channels. Vmem was most efficiently hyperpolarised by inhibiting voltage-dependent L-type Ca2+-channels or ATP-sensitive K+-channels, whereas the impact of the other ion-transport mechanisms was smaller. In case of very prominent effects of inhibitors on pHi and/or Vmem, we also found strong influences on the antero-posterior and dorso-ventral pHi- and/or Vmem-gradients. For example, inhibiting ATP-sensitive K+-channels strongly enhanced both pHi-gradients (increasing alkalisation) and reduced both Vmem-gradients (increasing hyperpolarisation). Similarly, inhibiting Na+/K+/2Cl−-cotransporters strongly enhanced both pHi-gradients and reduced the antero-posterior Vmem-gradient. To minor extents, both pHi-gradients were enhanced and both Vmem-gradients were reduced by inhibiting voltage-dependent L-type Ca2+-channels, whereas only both pHi-gradients were reduced (increasing acidification) by inhibiting V-ATPases or NHE and Na+-channels. Conclusions Our data show that in the Drosophila follicle-cell epithelium stage-specific pHi- and Vmem-gradients develop which result from the activity of several ion-transport mechanisms. These gradients are supposed to represent important bioelectrical cues during oogenesis, e.g., by serving as electrochemical prepatterns in modifying cell polarity and cytoskeletal organisation.
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