Load dependency of sodium chloride reabsorption by medullary collecting duct in rat

During antidiuresis, the medullary collecting duct (MCD) reabsorbs sodium in load-dependent fashion. However, attempts to characterize reabsorption when sodium delivery to the MCD is elevated have not led to clear results, largely due to interfering effects of the strategies employed to raise delivery. In the present study, microcatheterization was performed in rats undergoing water diuresis induced solely by infusion of 2.5% dextrose in water, and in rats where solute delivery to the MCD was markedly elevated by the combination of water diuresis with acute potassium chloride loading. The results show that delivery of sodium was elevated by the experimental maneuvers, averaging 7.01 +/- 0.83 mumol . min-1 . g kidney wt-1 compared with a normal antidiuretic value in the literature of 3.50 +/- 0.40 mumol . min-1 . g-1. Sodium and chloride reabsorptions were increased proportionally, indicating that the MCD has a large capacity to transport sodium chloride. Normalized sodium reabsorption remained high, varying in different series between 80 +/- 10 and 96 +/- 1% of the delivered load. Thus the MCD reabsorbed an average of 6.37 +/- 0.70 mumol . min-1 . g-1 of sodium while sodium excretion was 0.52 +/- 0.11 mumol . min-1 . g-1. The results emphasize the importance of MCD sodium chloride reabsorption for determination of final urinary salt excretion, and thus for regulation of body salt balance.