In this study, we have investigated net transport and electrical properties of isolated perfused cortical collecting ducts of control and DOCA-treated rabbits to clarify the cell mechanism for secreting K on an acute increase of peritubular K concentration. Raising bath K in control experiments caused an increase in net K secretion (-JK) and net Na absorption (JNa). Barium (5 mM), a known blocker of basolateral K conductance, added to the bath had no effect on this transport stimulation. In the presence of luminal Ba (5 mM) -JK was reduced to zero, but JNa was unaltered. When bath K was increased -JK increased to a value slightly greater than zero, but not different from the predicted passive flux through the paracellular pathway. In tubules of DOCA-treated rabbits, raising K in the bath increased -JK and JNa. The observed stimulation of -JK was blunted in the presence of Ba in the bath, whereas the increase in JNa remained the same. Thus, in DOCA-treated tubules, Ba in the bath significantly attenuated the increase in K secretion without affecting the transport stimulation of JNa. When Ba was added to the perfusate and bath K increased, -JK, which was initially 22.1, increased to 36.4 pmol.mm-1.min-1. Thus a "Ba-insensitive" pathway became more evident in CCTs from DOCA-treated rabbits.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)