Renal tubular transport of water, osmotically active solute, and PAH were studied with micropuncture methods in anesthetized rats loaded with a volume of 0.9% sodium chloride solution equivalent to 10% of their body weight. Inulin clearance and urine flow were greatly elevated above values in nondiuretic animals, but there was little change in PAH clearance. F/P inulin-C14OOH ratios indicated that 42% of the filtered water and solute was reabsorbed along the proximal convolution, a lower fraction than is found in nondiuretic and hypertonic saline-loaded rats. This indicates that the rate of solute and water reabsorption in the proximal tubule did not increase in proportion to the increased filtered load, and it was, in fact, similar to that in nondiuretic rats. Intravenous administration of vasopressin and aldosterone had no demonstrable effects on solute or water reabsorption. F/P PAH/inulin ratios demonstrated that PAH secretion occurred along the proximal tubule, but probably in no other portion of the nephron.

A B S T R A C T Radioiodinated protein solutions, 20 nl in volume, were injected into surface proximal and distal convoluted tubules of the rat kidney. The unabsorbed fraction was collected in ureteral urine, and the percentage recovered was expressed as a function of the injection site. Recovery increased progressively from more distal sites of injection indicating absorption along the proximal tubule of human serum albumin, insulin, and ribonuclease. Fractional absorption of albumin along the proximal tubule varied from 0 to 20% of the injected load, and was similar when the injectate concentration was 20, 40, or 100 mg/100 ml. Fractional absorption along the proximal tubule of insulin and ribonuclease, smaller proteins, was 30 to 50% of the injected load, and was similar with insulin concentrations of 0.09 mg/100 ml and 40 mg/100 ml and ribonuclease concentration of 40 mg/100 ml. In addition to this constant fractional absorption of each protein in the proximal tubule, smaller amounts were absorbed when injections were made in distal convoluted tubules.

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