Autoregulation of superficial nephron function in the alloperfused dog kidney

Integrating multiple paracrine regulators of renal microvascular dynamics

There has been tremendous growth in our knowledge about the multiple interacting mechanisms that regulate renal microvascular function. Paracrine signals originating from endothelial and epithelial cells exert profound influences on the basal tone and reactivity of the pre- and postglomerular arterioles. Selective responsiveness of these arterioles to various stimuli is possible because of differential activating mechanisms in vascular smooth muscle cells of afferent and efferent arterioles. Afferent arterioles rely predominantly on voltage-dependent calcium channels, while efferent arterioles utilize other mechanisms for calcium entry as well as intracellular calcium mobilization. The autoregulatory responses of preglomerular arterioles exemplify the selectivity of these complex control mechanisms. The myogenic mechanism responds to increases in renal perfusion pressure through "stretch-activated" cation channels that lead to depolarization, calcium entry, and vascular contraction. Autoregulatory efficiency is enhanced by the tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF) mechanism which responds to flow-dependent changes in tubular fluid composition at the level of the macula densa and transmits signals to the afferent arterioles to alter the activation state of voltage-dependent calcium channels. Recent studies have implicated extracellular ATP as one paracrine factor mediating TGF and autoregulatory related signals to the afferent arterioles. Other paracrine agents including nitric oxide, angiotensin II, adenosine, and arachidonic acid metabolites modulate vascular responsiveness in order to maintain an optimal balance between the metabolically determined reabsorptive capabilities of the tubules and the hemodynamically dependent filtered load.

Threshold pressure for the pressure-dependent renin release in the autoregulating kidney of conscious dogs

The effect of varying renal artery pressure between 160 and 40 mm Hg on renal blood flow and renin release was studied in seven conscious foxhounds under beta-adrenergic blockade receiving a normal sodium diet (4.1 mmol/kg/day). Pressure was either increased by bilateral common carotid occlusion or reduced in steps and maintained constant by a control-system using an inflatable renal artery cuff. Carotid occlusion itself had no influence on renal blood flow and renin release when renal artery pressure was kept constant and the beta-receptors in the kidney were blocked. Between 160 mm Hg and resting pressure there was no change in renal blood flow; between resting blood pressure and the lower limit of autoregulation (average 63.9 mm Hg) renal blood flow increased slightly (average 7%) indicating a high efficiency of renal blood flow autoregulation. The relationship between renal artery pressure and renin release could be approximated by two linear sections: a low sensitivity to a pressure change (average slope: -0.69 +/- 0.26 ng AI/min/mm Hg) was found above a threshold pressure (average: 89.8 +/- 3.3 mm Hg) and a high sensitivity to a pressure change (average slope: -64.4 +/- 20.8 ng AI/min/mm Hg) was observed between threshold pressure and 60 mm Hg. There was no further increase of renin release between 60 and 40 mm Hg.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Comparison of directly measured and calculated glomerular capillary pressure in the dog kidney at varying perfusion pressure

To gain access to glomeruli of the dog kidney, an approximately 0.3 mm thick superficial tissue layer was cut off from the convexity of the kidney. The surface was superfused with warm Ringer's. Renal perfusion pressure (PP) was changed by an aortic clamp. The afferent oncotic pressure (pi A) was calculated from arterial plasma protein concentration, the efferent (pi E) from pi A and single nephron filtration fraction. At PP 17 and 13kPa, directly measured GCP was significantly lower than that calculated from stop-flow pressure (SFP + pi A). At PP8kPa, the difference was not significant. Hydraulic pressure differences across the glomerular capillary wall was still significantly different from pi E at PP 17 and 13 kPa. Hence, filtration pressure equilibrium was achieved in the dog kidney only at PP 8kPa.