A technique for the isolation of intact brush borders from rabbit renal cortex was evaluated . The procedure was monitored by phase and electron microscopy and marker enzymes, i .e . ATP :NMN adenylyl transferase, nuclear ; cytochrome oxidase, mitochondrial ; (3-glucuronidase, lysosomal ; and glucose-6-Pase, microsomal ; and indicated an essentially pure preparation of brush borders . The disaccharidase, trehalase, previously reported in renal tubules, was localized uniquely in brush borders . Maltase was also found ; the specific activities of the two enzymes in the brush borders were increased 10-to 20-fold . Other disaccharidases, such as sucrase, isomaltase, lactase, and cellobiase, were absent . It is suggested that trehalase and maltase are appropriate candidates for marker enzymes of the renal brush border. Isolated brush borders possessed a ouabain-sensitive (Na+ + K+) ATPase, an oligomycin-insensitive Mg++ ATPase, and a Ca++-activated ATPase . Alkaline phosphatases, dephosphorylating (3-glycero-P, and trehalose-6-P were also present . The specific activities of these enzymes were increased three-to-five fold in the brush-border preparations ; however, activities were found in other subcellular fractions of the renal cortex . Hexokinase, although evident in the isolated brush border, was found prominently associated with other membranous fractions . Phosphoglucomutase and UDPG pyrophosphorylase were localized in the soluble fraction of the renal cortex .The renal brush border has a prominent role in determining the specificity and rate of reabsorption from the glomerular filtrate . A characterization of the biochemical properties of the isolated brush border, therefore, should provide significant information on the molecular mechanisms underlying tubular reabsorption . Brush borders from intestinal epithelial cells have been isolated as a discrete subcellular fraction, and several enzymes are now known to be associated with this membranous structure (1-4) . In contrast, little has been done on the isolation or biochemical characterization of the renal brush border . Recently, however, Thuneberg and Rostgaard (5) described a procedure for isolating brush borders from rabbit kidney cortex, but no biochemical correlates were made, and Kinne and Kinne-Saffran (6) and