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Fig. 10 | BMC Developmental Biology

Fig. 10

From: Electrochemical patterns during Drosophila oogenesis: ion-transport mechanisms generate stage-specific gradients of pH and membrane potential in the follicle-cell epithelium

Fig. 10

Summary of the influences of inhibitors on the inclinations of the a-p and/or d-v pHi- and Vmem-gradients. Blocking of ion-transport mechanisms resulted in very different effects on the various gradients of relative fluorescence intensity. While, e.g. for the a-p pHi-gradient, × 0.5 represents a reduction of the angle (decreasing alkalisation, i.e. increasing acidification) by 50% (amiloride; NHEs and Na+-channels), × 150 means a 150fold enlargement (furosemide; Na+/K+/2Cl-cotransporters) of the angle (increasing alkalisation). The enlargement of the angles caused by bafilomycin (V-ATPases) was due to the alkalisation of vesicles resulting in increased cytoplasmic acidification as well as in shallower pHi-gradients. E.g., for the d-v Vmem-gradient, × 0.1 represents a reduction of the angle (decreasing depolarisation, i.e. increasing hyperpolarisation) by 90% (glibenclamide; ATP-sensitive K+-channels). The inclinations of the gradients were inferred from the mean values of relative fluorescence intensity shown in Figs. 4b and 5a (pHi-gradients) and in Figs. 7b and 8 (Vmem-gradients), respectively

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