Pressure dependent modulation of renin release in isolated perfused glomeruli

The isolated perfused glomerulus technique was used to study pressure dependence of renin release in single, microdissected rabbit glomeruli with intact afferent arteriole and intact Bowman's capsule. Renin release from individual afferent-glomerular units was measured in 30 minute intervals while afferent arteriolar pressure was either decreased from 55 to 40 to 25 mm Hg or increased from 25 to 40 to 55 mm Hg. There was a clear, inverse relation of renin release and afferent pressure. Mean renin release rate was 3.2 times higher at 25 than at 55 mm Hg and 1.5 times higher at 40 than at 55 mm Hg. To evaluate the possible role of wall stretch in mediating this response, inner and outer afferent arteriolar diameters were measured by videomicroscopy. Outer afferent diameter remained constant between 25 and 55 mm Hg, whereas inner diameter exhibited a slight increase. Changes of afferent arteriolar wall stretch, however, did not correlate with changes of renin release. These data for the first time directly demonstrate the existence of a renin baroceptor at the level of the renal afferent arteriole. They furthermore suggest that this baroceptor is not a stretch receptor.