Epithelial cell volume regulation illustrated by experiments in frog skin.

The volume control of the syncytium of principal cells (as opposed to the mitochondria-rich cells) is largely confined to the movement of ions and water through the basolateral membrane. The apical membrane is nearly tight to water and ions except sodium. The basolateral membrane is normally tight to chloride, but its chloride channels open if the cells swell osmotically or if the membrane is depolarized. If the epithelium has lost KCl during osmotic swelling, it is recovered by a basolateral cotransport of KNaCl2.