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A B S T R A C T Studies were undertaken to characterize the renal responses to acute unilateral renal denervation and the mechanisms involved in these responses. Denervation was produced in anesthetized nondiuretic rats by application of phenol to the left renal artery. Studies were also performed in sham-denervated nondiuretic rats. Whole kidney and individual nephron studies were performed before and after denervation or sham denervation. Denervation increased urine volume from the left kidney to about twice its control value (P < 0.001) and increased urinary sodium excretion from 332 neq min' to 1,887 neq min' (P <0.001). Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and renal plasma flow (RPF) remained unchanged in both kidneys after the procedure. The innervated right kidney showed no changes in urine volume or in sodium excretion. After denervation, late proximal ratio of tubular fluid inulin concentration to that of plasma [ (F/P) In] decreased from 2.23 to 1.50 (P < 0.001) while single nephron GFR remained unchanged. Absolute reabsorption decreased from 16.5 to 9.9 nl min' (P <0.001). (F/P) i ratios were also decreased in early distal (from 6.21 to 3.18, P <0.001) and late distal convolutions (from 16.41 to 8.33, P < 0.001) during the experimental period. (F/P) Na ratios remained unchanged in the early distal convolutions, but increased from 0.18 to 0.38 (P < 0.01) in late distal convolutions after denervation. Absolute Na reabsorption after denervation increased in the loop of Henle, distal convolution, and collecting ducts. Any changes in intrarenal hydrostatic pressures

The renal handling of gentamicin in the rat was examined by clearance, microinjection, and renal cortical-slice techniques. The steady-state renal clearance of 14C-gentamicin, when corrected for the 7.5% binding to plasma protein, was not significantly different from that of 3H-inulin. At the end of the renal clearance experiments, the cortical concentration of gentamicin was 93 +/- 7 microgram/g of tissue (N = 7), a concentration threefold greater than that of the medulla and 20-fold greater than that of serum. Absorption of 3H-gentamicin along the proximal convoluted tubule and loop of Henle was demonstrated by the tubular microinjection technique. No reabsorption of 3H-gentamicin was detected beyond the early distal convoluted tubule. The tubular absorption of 3H-gentamicin was load dependent. Fractional absorption of 3H-gentamicin averaged 30.1 +/- 2.7% when the dose of 3H-gentamicin injected into early proximal tubular convolutions averaged 132 +/- 17 pg. It was decreased to 13.6 +/- 2.6% when the microinjected dose of gentamicin was increased to 1996 +/- 388 pg. No evidence of transtubular absorption of 3H-gentamicin was detected during the microinjection experiments. Microperfusion of pertubular capillaries failed to demonstrate urinary precession of 3H-gentamicin over 14C-inulin, a finding which argues against a rapid transtubular secretory flux of gentamicin. Significant uptake of gentamicin was demonstrated by renal cortical slices incubated in medium containing 14C-gentamicin. The accumulation of 14C-gentamicin by renal cortical slices was not inhibited by probenecid or N1-methylnicotinamide but was inhibited by netilmicin and tobramycin. These data support the conclusion that the renal accumulation of gentamicin reflects transport of gentamicin across both the apical and basolateral membranes of proximal tubular epithelium.

Sodium reabsorption along the nephron was studied before and after acute unilateral denervation of the left kidney in anesthetized rats with extracellular volume expansion. Studies were also performed before and after sham denervation. Denervation increased urine volume (V) from the left kidney from 35.2 to 59.2 mul min-1 (P less than 0.001) and urinary sodium excretion (UNaV) from 6.9 to 11.8 mueq min-1 (P less than 0.001). The control right kidney showed a simultaneous 45% decrease in V and UNaV. Inulin clearance (GFR) and renal plasma flow (RPF) remained unchanged after denervation in both kidneys. Left kidney late proximal (F/P)m decreased from 1.50 to 1.24 (P less than 0.01); single-nephron GFR (SNGFR) remained unchanged. (F/P)m ratios were also decreased in early distal (3.87-2.65, P less than 0.005) and late distal (5.48-3.83, P less than 0.02) convolutions. Fractional and absolute Na reabsorption in the distal convolution did not decrease. GFR, RPF, V, UNa, late proximal (F/P)m, and SNGFR were unchanged in sham-denervated rats. The increases in V and UNa V produced by acute renal denervation in the volume-expanded anesthetized animal are thus caused by further depression of proximal tubular salt and water reabsorption.

Intracellular pH (pHi) of turtle bladder mucosal cells was studied by the trapped fluorescent indicator technique. Bladders efficiently accumulated and converted 4-methylumbelliferyl acetate to its pH-sensitive derivative 4-methylumbelliferone (4MU). Excited at the pH-indifferent wavelength 334 nm, bladders fluoresced a uniform blue. Using pH-sensitive 365-nm excitation, 10-20% of the mucosal cells fluoresced distinctly brighter, suggesting a more alkaline pHi. Using the 365/334 ratio to quantitate pHi, this difference averaged 0.1 pH units. Bright cells were more distinct after SITS or acetazolamide but disappeared after digitonin permeabilization, dinitrophenol, or treatment with propionate, DMO, and NH4Cl. Essentially the same population of bright cells was identified by carboxyfluorescein diacetate. The brighter cell corresponded exactly to a population of cells with distinctive acridine orange staining and bright costaining with the potential-sensing probes Di-O-C5, Di-S-C3, and 4-Di-5-Asp. Two extremes of bright cell shape were seen: an elongate cell, prevalent under conditions stimulating H+ secretion, and a more compact cell, when acidification was inhibited. These observations support the hypothesis that acidification represents H+ secretion via the luminal membrane and that a primary role of carbonic anhydrase in this process is to support the exit of base from the cell. The more alkaline cells appear to be the carbonic anhydrase-rich cells. These cells are chemically isolated from the surrounding granular cells and change their morphology in response to changes in acidification. These special properties indicate a unique role for the carbonic anhydrase cell in H+ secretion.

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The sites of enhanced phosphate (PO4) reabsorption after PO4 deprivation were investigated before and after infusion of parathyroid hormone (PTH) in acutely thyroparathyroidectomized rats. Animals were fed either a control PO4 diet (1.6% P) or a low PO4 diet (0.025% P) for 2 days or 7-10 days. In control rats, PTH decreased PO4 reabsorption in the proximal tubule, loop of Henle, and distal convolution. PO4 reabsorption in the proximal tubule was enhanced after 2 days of PO4 deprivation. In this group, proximal PO4 reabsorption was decreased by PTH but remained greater than in control rats (70 +/- 6 vs. 45 +/- 6 pmol/min; P less than 0.025). After PTH, PO4 reabsorption increased in the loop of Henle from 3 +/- 0.5 to 13 +/- 2 pmol/min (P less than 0.005), whereas it was unaltered in the distal convolution in PO4-deprived rats. PTH markedly increased fractional excretion of PO4 in control rats but not in PO4-deprived rats. After prolonged PO4 deprivation, PO4 reabsorption along the nephron was unaltered by PTH. These results demonstrate that acute PO4 deprivation enhances PO4 reabsorption in the proximal tubule, although the phosphaturic effect of PTH in this segment is not abolished. Resistance to the inhibitory effect of PTH on PO4 reabsorption in some portion of the loop of Henle and possibly also in the distal convolution accounts for the absence of a significant phosphaturic effect of the hormone in acutely PO4-deprived rats. Prolongation of PO4 deprivation results in unresponsiveness to PTH extending to the proximal tubule.