Kidney Na,K-ATPase activity in streptozotocin-diabetic rats

Measurements of the ouabain-sensitive Na,K-ATPase activity in the kidney was performed on female Wistar rats after 50 days' duration of diabetes, and compared to an age-matched control group. The measurements showed a 23% increase in the Na,K-ATPase activity per mg protein, and a 66% increase in the total Na,K-ATPase activity in the whole kidney. The increase Na,K-ATPase activity can be seen as a response to the increase in tubular sodium load which is a consequence of the increased glomerular filtration rate in diabetes.