Acid sensing in renal epithelial cells

The kidney adjusts net acid excretion to match production with exquisite precision, despite little or no change in the plasma bicarbonate concentration. The acid-sensing pathway that signals the kidney to increase acid secretion involves activation of the proto-oncogene c-Src. A new study in this issue shows that proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (Pyk2) is responsible for acid-induced activation of c-Src and is essential for acid sensing in renal epithelial cells (see the related article beginning on page 1782). The findings implicate a broader role for Pyk2 in acid-base homeostasis in bone and other tissues beyond the kidney.