The present study investigated whether there is a K+ conductive pathway on the basolateral membrane of pancreatic duct cells. Small inter- and intralobular ducts were isolated from rat pancreas and perfused in vitro. Duct cells were impaled and the potential across the basolateral membrane (PDbl) was measured. The resting potential was -61 +/- 1 mV. Ouabain (3 mmol/l) depolarized PDbl by 11 mV. Increase in the bath K+ concentration from 5 to 20 mmol/l depolarized PDbl by 15-16 mV. The effect of K+ channel blockers was tested. Ba2+ (1 mmol/l) added to the bath depolarized PDbl by 23-26 mV, whereas TEA+ (50 mmol/l) depolarized PDbl only by 7-8 mV. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP (0.5 mmol/l) depolarized PDbl by 20-30 mV. The results show that on the basolateral membrane of pancreatic duct cells there is a (Na+ + K+)-ATPase and a K+ conductive pathway sensitive to Ba2+.