Using the methods of stopped-flow and epifluorescence microscopy with entrapped fluorophore, membrane permeability of NH3 and weak acids in liposomes, renal brush border (BBMV) and basolateral membrane vesicles (BLMV), and primary culture cells from renal proximal tubule was measured. Permeability coefficient (cm/sec) of NH3 was (2.9 X 10-2 in phosphatidylcholine liposome 25℃), 5.9 X 10-2 in renal proximal tubule cell (37℃), 4.0 X 10-2 and 2.4 X 10-2 in BBMV and BLMV (25℃), respectively. Formic acid has the highest permeability coefficient among the weak acids tested, which was 4.9 X 10-3 in liposome, 5.0 X 10-3 in renal proximal tubule cell, 9.1 X 10-3 in BBMV and 3.8 X 10-3 in BLMV. There was a linear relationship between external concentration of nonionized formic acid and initial rate of flux of formic acid in liposome, and the slope coincided with the value of permeability coefficient of formic acid measured in pH 7.0. These results show that techniques of stopped-flow and epifluorescence microscopy with entrapped fluorophore provide the precise method of measurement of very rapid transport of nonelectrolytes through membranes with the advantages of instantaneous mixing effect, good resolution time and easy manipulation.
