Estradiol increases the density and open probability of epithelial sodium channels in alveolar cells

Female sex hormones stimulate the expression of the lung epithelial sodium channel (ENaC); however, the effect of female sex hormones on channel number (N) and open probability (P o ) has not been examined. We hypothesized that ENaC activity (NP o ) will increase in lung alveolar cells treated with β‐estradiol and progesterone. Rat L2 alveolar‐type II‐like cells were cultured on transwells with ap…