Bicarbonate permeability of epithelial chloride channels has been studied using the patch-clamp technique. The experiments were performed in excised inside-out oriented membrane patches from three different cultured cell types: (a) HT29 colon carcinoma cell line, (b) T84 colon carcinoma cell line, and (c) respiratory epithelial cells (REC) in primary culture. In all three preparations we observed outwardly rectifying chloride channels with similar conductances with 145 mmol/l NaCl solution in the pipette and in the bath (Cl- pipette/Cl- bath). When Cl- was replaced by HCO3- in the bath (Cl-/HCO3-) the conductance of the channel at negative clamp voltages was reduced significantly by 40% for HT29 (n = 6), 39% for T84 (n = 7), and 38% for REC (n = 6). Similarly, the zero-current potential (V1 = 0) was shifted from 0 mV (Cl-/Cl-) to negative values (Cl-/HCO3-) revealing permeability ratios PCl/PHCO3 of 2.4 +/- 0.1 for HT29 (n = 6), 2.0 +/- 0.1 for T84 (n = 7), and 1.8 +/- 0.1 for REC (n = 7). With NaHCO3 as the pipette solution and NaCl in the bath, the V1 = 0 was positive and a PCl/PHCO3 value of 2.3 +/- 0.1 was determined for HT29 (n = 5). Replacement of Cl- in the bath by HCO3- reduced V1 = 0 to values close to 0 mV. In another series of experiments, the pipette was filled with 145 mmol/l NaCl and the bath contained 35 mmol/l NaCl to which 35 mmol/l NaHCO3 were added. We found that neither the conductance for the inward current nor V1 = 0 was changed significantly with the addition of NaHCO3 (HT29, n = 6). We conclude that the HCO3- permeability and HCO3- conductance of these channels is about half of that for Cl-.