The effect of aging on urinary concentrating ability and the pathogenic mechanism involved were investigated in Fischer 344 rats. While the rats had free access to drinking water, 24-mo-old rats were polydipsic and polyuric compared with 6- and 12-mo-old rats. The maximum urinary concentrating ability after 40-58 h of water deprivation was not different between 6- and 12-mo-old rats (Uosmol 2,941 +/- 173 vs. 2,706 +/- 96 (SE) mosmol/kg), but it was significantly decreased in 24-mo-old rats (1,885 +/- 172 mosmol/kg, P less than 0.01). Similarly, although 5 mU/ml vasopressin increased the concentration of cAMP and papillary slices in 12-mo-old rats (delta +2.81 +/- 0.62 pmol/mg tissue, P less than 0.01), the same concentration of vasopressin failed to increase the cAMP concentration in 24-mo-old rats (delta +0.25 +/- 0.21 pmol/mg tissue, P greater than 0.05). In the adenylate cyclase preparation of renal papilla, the response to low concentrations of vasopressin was diminished in 24-mo-old rats. The dose-response curve was shifted to the right and the ED50 concentration of vasopressin was increased in 24-mo-old rats compared with 12-mo-old rats: 1.40 +/- 0.12 mU/ml vasopressin vs. 3.04 +/- 0.22. These results suggest that the decrease in vasopressin-dependent cAMP generation may in part be responsible for the impairment of urinary concentrating ability in 24-mo-old rats.

Age changes in oxygen consumption and the structural composition of the lateral omohyoideus muscle were studied in adult male rats. The rate were either fed ad libitum (group A) or 60% of the ad libitum intake (group R). An age-related loss in muscle mass did not occur even at advanced ages in group A or group R rats. Muscle fiber diameter decreased with age in both groups but a concomitant increase in the number of fibers prevented a change in muscle mass. The muscles of group R rats contained the same number of fibers as those of group A rats at all ages. The muscles of group A rats showed a progressive loss in rate of resting oxygen consumption until 18 mo of age. A similar but less marked loss in oxygen consumption occurred in the muscles of group R rats. These results provide further evidence that life-prolonging food restriction modulates physiological changes associated with the aging process.

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