Glucose absorption by isolated perfused rat proximal straight tubules

Glucose absorption was investigated in isolated perfused proximal straight tubules from rats by use of a newly developed ultramicrofluorometric assay. This assay takes advantage of the increase in fluorescence associated with the reduction of NAD to NADH while glucose is degraded to 6-phosphogluconate. When tubules were perfused at 6.70 +/- 0.42 nl.mm-1.min-1, the mean rate of glucose absorption was 11.0 +/- 1.0 pmol.mm-1.min-1, and the mean rate of fluid absorption was 0.61 +/- 0.06 nl.mm-1.min-1. Glucose transport is generally due to Na-glucose cotransport in the proximal nephron. In the rat proximal straight tubule, glucose absorption also appeared to be primarily due to Na-glucose cotransport, since 10(-4) M phlorizin inhibited absorption by 100%, as did inhibition of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase by K removal. To determine the maximum rate of transport, tubules were perfused at rates greater than 20 nl.mm-1.min-1 with a solution containing 5.5 mM glucose. The maximum rate of glucose absorption was approximately 20 pmol.mm-1.min-1 under these conditions. The concentration of glucose that supports 50% of the maximum rate of absorption, Km, was 0.6 mM. When tubules were perfused at flow rates of less than or equal to 2 nl.mm-1.min-1, the luminal glucose concentration reached a limiting value of 0.47 mM with 5.5 mM glucose in the bath. The glucose permeability was 3.1 X 10(-6) cm/s.