Taking into account recent results obtained with isolated papillary collecting duct cells the metabolic pathways and membrane transport systems of collecting duct cells are reviewed. The plasma membranes contain a luminal proton AT-Pase and a contraluminal Cl-/HCO3- exchanger which are involved in proton secretion; a luminal sodium channel and a contraluminal Na+/K+-AT-Pase for sodium reabsorption; a K+ channel for potassium secretion, and a Na+/K+/Cl- cotransport system for chloride transport and/or volume regulation. The plasma membranes also possess transport systems for organic substrates and organic osmolytes. D-glucose, the main substrate of the papillary collecting duct is taken up into the cell by a sodium-independent D-glucose transport system with a Km of 1.2 mM. The plasma membrane also contains mechanisms which mediate sorbitol release into the medium. This mechanism is stimulated when cells are exposed to media with a low osmolality and inhibited when cells are exposed to media with a high osmolality. D-glucose is used as metabolic substrate in anaerobic and aerobic glycolysis and as precursor for sorbitol synthesis via the aldose reductase, which is highly enriched in papillary collecting duct cells. The cells also show gluconeogenic activity as evidenced by incorporation of labeled carbon from L-alanine into glycerol, sorbitol, and myo-inositol. Accordingly, the cells show fructose-1,6-biphosphatase activity. Sorbitol synthesis in contrast to sorbitol permeability is not affected by osmolarity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)