Solute and water transport along an inner medullary collecting duct undergoing peristaltic contractions

The mechanism by which solutes accumulate in the inner medulla of the mammalian kidney has remained incompletely understood. That persistent mystery has led to hypotheses based on the peristaltic contractions of the pelvic wall smooth muscles. It has been demonstrated the peristaltic contractions propel fluid down the collecting duct in boluses. In antidiuresis, boluses are sufficiently short that collecting ducts may be collapsed most of the time. In this study, we investigated the mechanism by which about half of the bolus volume is reabsorbed into the collecting duct cells despite the short contact time. To accomplish this, we developed a dynamic mathematical model of solute and water transport along a collecting duct of a rat papilla undergoing peristaltic contractions. The model predicts that, given preexisting axial concentration gradients along the loops of Henle, ∼40% of the bolus volume is reabsorbed as the bolus flows down the inner medullary collecting duct. Additionally, simulation results suggest that while the contraction-induced luminal hydrostatic pressure facilitates water extraction from the bolus, that pressure is not necessary to concentrate the bolus. Also, neither the negative interstitial pressure generated during the relaxation phase nor the concentrating effect of hyaluronic acid has a significant effect on bolus concentration. Taken together, these findings indicate that the high collecting duct apical water permeability allows a substantial amount of water to be extracted from the bolus, despite its short transit time. However, the potential role of the peristaltic waves in the urine-concentrating mechanism remains to be revealed.