Abstract. Pharmacologic studies suggest that the release of nitric oxide (NO) by endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) contributes to functional alterations of the peritoneal membrane (PM) induced by acute peritonitis. In this study, peritoneal permeability parameters in a mouse model of peritoneal dialysis were characterized, and the effects of eNOS deletion on the PM structure and permeability at baseline and after catheter-induced bacterial peritonitis were examined. Exposure of C57BL/6 mice to standard dialysate yielded a transport of urea and glucose, a sodium sieving, and a net ultrafiltration that were remarkably similar to the values obtained in rats. In comparison with controls, mice with catheter-induced peritonitis were characterized by structural changes in the PM (mononuclear cells infiltrate, vascular proliferation), upregulation of endothelial and inducible NOS, increased permeability for urea and glucose, decreased ultrafiltration, and increased protein loss in the dialysate. Comparison of eNOS wild-type and knockout mice revealed that the permeability modifications and structural changes induced by acute peritonitis were significantly reversed in eNOS knockout mice, resulting in a net increase in ultrafiltration. In contrast, the deletion of eNOS in mouse peritoneum was not reflected by permeability modifications or structural changes at baseline. These results are the first to take advantage of a knockout mouse model to demonstrate directly the crucial importance of eNOS in the permeability and structural modifications caused by acute peritonitis. The characterization of this mouse model suggests that genetically modified mice represent useful tools to investigate the molecular bases of the peritoneal changes during peritoneal dialysis.Despite technological advances and accumulating clinical experience, acute peritonitis remains the most frequent and serious complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD) (1). Understanding the molecular mechanisms that operate in acute peritonitis thus is an essential goal to reduce the functional and structural changes associated with the condition. Studies in rat and rabbit models of PD have demonstrated that transport across the peritoneal membrane (PM) depends on (1) the intrinsic permeability to each solute and (2) the effective peritoneal surface area (EPSA) reflecting the number of perfused capillaries within the peritoneum (2). The capillary endothelium, which expresses both the endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS) and the water channel aquaporin-1 (AQP1), constitutes the major barrier for solutes and water transport during PD (3,4). Acute peritonitis is characterized by an increased EPSA, with increased permeability for small solutes and glucose, a faster-than-normal dissipation of the osmotic gradient, a decrease of free-water permeability, and a loss of ultrafiltration (UF) (5,6). These modifications are associated with mononuclear cell infiltrate and vascular proliferation within the PM (6).During the past decade, NO has emerged as a crucial mediator in...