Phosphate transfer and tubular pH during renal stopped flow microperfusion experiments in the rat

The loss of 32P-phosphate salts by the luminal compartment of cortical tubules was studied in control and in acetazolamide-infused rats, during stopped-flow microperfusion with 100 mM phosphate-raffinose solutions. When the initial pH of the perfusion solution was low (5.5), phosphate was lost more rapidly from proximal tubules than at high initial pH (8.2). The average half-time of phosphate loss was 31.9 s during acid, and 66.0 s during alkaline perfusion in proximal tubules of control rats; in acetazolamide-infused rats half-times were 77.0 and 86.6 s for acid and alkaline perfusions. Thus acetazolamide infusion slows the rate of phosphate loss by proximal tubules, when the perfusion solution is acid, but has no significant effect if its pH is alkaline. These half-times compare to proximal acidification rates of 7.23 s in control and 13.2 s in acetazolamide-infused rats. In distal tubules of control rats no significant loss of phosphate was observed during the period of perfusion. It is concluded that the loss of phosphate, in proximal tubules, is markedly slower than the changes in tubular pH and so its effect on tubular acidification must be of minor importance. In distal tubules changes in pH are not due to transepithelial phosphate movement.