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The intracellular concentration of ions such as H+, Mg2+, Ca2+, is known to monitor the activity of many fundamental enzymes. Furthermore these ions are generally considered as intracellular messengers involved in the transduction of extracellular signals. Recent technological progress, occulting the physicochemical properties of the probe, led to the feeling that accurate data on microvolumes are instantly accessible. Unfortunately fluorescent probes are supposed to fill up conflicting requirements for ionic affinity, absence of fading and intracellular calibration. Such a situation generally precludes the use of the simplest methods of data acquisition and treatment. This paper is based on the use of microspectrofluorometry, resolution of single cell complex fluorescence spectrum, and videomicrofluorometry. The methods of data handling allow us to demonstrate that most of the problems met in intracellular calibration come from the fighting of cells against the modification of the extracellular pH. Using these techniques allows us to restrict the need of comparison between results in cuvettes and intracellular results to the physiological pH range. A consequence of such an approach is that the effect with time of known concentrations of amiloride and nigericin on pHi became accessible. Data is presented allowing us to get information on the behavior of the ionic channels and/or cation/H+ exchangers involved in the pHi regulation. Such a method leads the way to direct investigations and monitoring of the different processes of regulation of the intracellular ionic concentrations in different cell lines at the level of single cells. Using different specific modifiers (activators or blocking agents) and convenient specific fluorescent probes, the efficiency of such pathways is expected to be checked at will. Compared to the patch clamp techniques, the method can be extended to the study of pathways located on the inner cell membranes.
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