Phosphate, calcium and magnesium fluxes into the lumen of the rat proximal convoluted tubule

Localization of the nephron site of gentamicin-induced hypercalciuria in the rat: a micropuncture study

In vivo renal micropuncture techniques were used to locate the nephron site of hypercalciuria induced by acute gentamicin infusion in anaesthetized Sprague Dawley rats. Three series of experiments were conducted. The effect of gentamicin on calcium reabsorption in the proximal tubule (Series I) and loop of Henle (Series II) was investigated using in vivo microperfusion whereas the effect on distal calcium handling (Series III) was studied using in vivo microinfusion. In all three experimental series, acute systemic gentamicin infusion at 0.28 mg kg(-1) min(-1) caused significant hypercalciuria within 30 min of commencing drug infusion. Gentamicin had no effect on the rates of urine flow or sodium excretion. Acute gentamicin infusion had no effect on unidirectional calcium reabsorption in the proximal tubule or loop of Henle despite a simultaneous and highly significant hypercalciuria at the whole kidney level. Net fluid reabsorption was also unaffected by the drug in these nephron segments. Acute gentamicin infusion significantly increased the urinary recovery of calcium following microinfusion into early distal tubules, whereas urinary calcium recovery was decreased after microinfusion into late distal tubules. We conclude that acute gentamicin-induced hypercalciuria is mediated by a decrease in calcium reabsorption in the early distal tubule. Thus, the acute hypercalciuric effect of gentamicin occurs at a different nephron site to the nephrotoxic effects associated with longer-term administration of the drug. It is, therefore, unlikely that gentamicin-induced hypercalciuria is involved in the pathogenesis of subsequent proximal tubular cell injury.

Renal electrolyte excretion and renin release during calcium and parathormone infusions in conscious rabbits

Following a random block experimental design in each case, three repeated measurement studies were carried out in three different groups of conscious rabbits, to investigate the renal effects of increasing doses of intravenous calcium chloride (CaCl2) and bovine parathyroid hormone (PTH). In the first study, each rabbit received either CaCl2 (0.15, 0.3, 0.5 or 1.0 mg kg-1 min-1) or vehicle alone (control) for 160 min. In the second study, rabbits were given either PTH (0.15 microgram kg-1 min-1), CaCl2 (1.0 mg kg-1 min-1), PTH plus CaCl2 (0.15 microgram kg-1 min-1 and 1.0 mg kg-1 min-1, respectively) or vehicle alone; PTH was infused for just over 60 min. In the third study, a much smaller dose (0.05 mg kg-1 min-1) of CaCl2 was infused for 100 min. CaCl2 infusion produced a striking fall in fractional excretion of sodium of at least 50% (P less than 0.01), but this was not dose related, being almost maximal at the smaller doses infused. Although this effect was evident in the absence of any changes in total plasma calcium concentration at the lower doses of CaCl2, renal calcium excretion was increased between 2- and 20-fold (P less than 0.01) at all doses infused. Fractional excretion of chloride doubled at the two higher doses of CaCl2 (P less than 0.01), but potassium excretion was unchanged. There were no consistent alterations in mean arterial blood pressure, effective renal plasma flow, glomerular filtration rate or plasma renin activity (PRA); total plasma calcium concentration was consistently elevated only during infusion of the high dose by just under 1 mmol l-1. PTH infusion had no measured effect on fractional excretion of sodium or renal calcium excretion, but doubled fractional potassium excretion (P less than 0.05). Heart rate and PRA increased (P less than 0.01 and less than 0.05, respectively), the latter by 50%, but systemic pressure and renal haemodynamics were not significantly affected. By contrast, PTH infused with CaCl2 produced a 4-fold rise in fractional sodium excretion and although renal calcium excretion remained increased, it was reduced by ca. 80% when compared with renal calcium excretion during infusion of CaCl2 alone. Infusion of PTH alone increased PRA, but when PTH and CaCl2 were infused together, PRA did not change.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Flow-correlated influx of K, Ca, P, and Mg during continuous microperfusion of the loop of Henle in the rat

Investigations on hydropenic rats were undertaken enabling us to determine the relative loop influx rates for potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus during end proximal continuous microperfusions at 15 or 35 nl . min-1 with saline free of these ions. Replicate quantitative collections were taken at collected flow rates of 9 or 26 nl . min-1. Element concentrations were determined by electron probe analysis. Results showed a significant influx of all four ions in the fluid collected at the early distal site, with magnesium showing the smallest entry rate. As expected, calcium and potassium concentrations at the early distal site increased with the perfusion flow rate. In contrast, phosphorus concentration decreased with flow. Phosphorus concentration at low flow was 0.43 +/- 0.06 mmole . liter-1 vs. 0.25 +/- 0.03 at high flow (P less than 0.01). However, increasing influx was seen with increasing flow for phosphorus (r = 0.58, P less than 0.001). Magnesium concentrations did not significantly change with flow although they were clearly different from zero: 0.12 +/- 0.02 vs. 0.10 +/- 0.02 mmole . liter-1. The rate of magnesium influx as a function of flow was also highly significant (r = 0.48, P less than 0.01). Thus, there is an increase in loop influx in all four ions with high flow rates despite disparate flow influences on early distal concentrations. In conclusion, these experiments demonstrate that (1) magnesium can enter the tubular lumen of the loop when this structure is perfused with a magnesium-free solution and (2) under our experimental conditions, phosphate can also enter the lumen suggesting that the concentration of phosphate at the early distal site is limited by the rate of entry.

Analysis of standing droplets in rat proximal tubules

Volume, osmolality, and concentrations for Na, Cl, and raffinose have been measured as a function of time in standing droplets within rat intermediate and late proximal tubules. Standing droplet reabsorption proceeds without the development of a measurable osmotic difference across the epithelium. After 140 s of tubular exposure, droplet-to-plasma concentration differences are observed for raffinose, Na, and Cl with the observed Na concentration difference, usually referred to as limiting gradient, being approximately 9 mM. It is possible that a smaller or even no limiting difference would be attained with longer exposure times. Previous values measured for the limiting Na concentration in the rat proximal tubule were determined before the attainment of constant concentrations. Assuming that the Na concentration we measured is the limiting value, we estimate that active NaCl transport accounts for a very small fraction, less than 6%, of the volume reabsorption; using an alternative approach of fitting a theoretical model to our experimental data, active NaCl transport is again estimated to account for only 6% of the total reabsorbate. The previous interpretation that a limiting Na concentration gradient constitutes the most direct evidence for active Na transport may be in error; the gradient we measure can be modeled without incorporating active NaCl transport.

Distal site of calcium reabsorption in the rat nephron

The site of outflux of 45Ca along the nephron were investigated using microinfusion technique in acutely thyroparathyroidectomized (TPTX), intact and TPTX Wistar rats substituted with parathyroid hormone (PTH). In all three groups 45Ca outflux occurred along the proximal tubule, the loop of Henle and along the distal tubule. After microinfusion into late distal tubules 45Ca recovery in ipsilateral urine was essentially complete for the TPTX group but was only 83 and 65% for the intact and the PTH substituted animals. Increases in microinfusion flow rate from 2--20 nl/min into early and middle distal tubules resulted in increased urinary recovery of 45Ca for all three groups. Similarily, increases in microinfusate Ca concentration from 0.2--2.0 and 5.0 mmol/l resulted in increased fractional urinary recovery of 45Ca both in the presence and absence of PTH. When 45Ca and 3H insulin containing solutions were continuously microinfused into early distal tubules for one hour periods an anticalciuric effect of PTH could be demonstrated. It is concluded that Ca, in addition to its outflux in the proximal tubule and in the loop of Henle, is reabsorbed in the distal tubule accessible to micropuncture. PTH acts anticalciuric at this latter site.