ABSTRACT. To study the effect of atrial natriuretic pepIn the adult, the primary action of ANP is to decrease blood tide (ANP) on vascular permeation of albumin in the fetus, volume by increasing urine flow (I). ANP infusion can also lower ANP (167-600 ng/min) was infused into eight ovine fetuses blood volume in anephric experimental animals (2-4), suggesting and saline vehicle was infused into eight twin controls that it causes extravasation of plasma in the adult. Other recent (gestational age 127 f 3 d) over a 50-min period. Using work has implicated ANP in fetal blood volume regulation. ANP two different radiolabeled albumin markers, we determined infusion into the fetus increases hematocrit and decreases blood the tissue to blood isotope ratio (TBIR), an index of volume, even though fetal urine output is only minimally inalbumin permeation, and the albumin clearance. Although creased (5). consistent with this finding is the observation by A N P had no hemodynamic effect, a marked increase in the Robillard cr a/. (6) that ANP causes hemoconcentration even hematocrit was observed in ANP-infused fetuses compared though responsiveness of the fetal kidney to ANP is decreased with initial values (0.37 f 0.04 rs 0.42 f 0.04, p < 0.005) compared with that of the neonatal and adult kidney in animals.but was unchanged in the twin fetuses receiving saline These data raise the possibility that, in the presence of the vehicle (0.35 f 0.03 rersus 0.35 2 0.02). TBIR and albumin functionally immature fetal kidney, the blood volume lowering permeation were increased in combined tissues of AN1'