Effects of aldosterone on potassium recycling in the kidney of adrenalectomized rats

Recent studies have suggested that potassium, like urea, undergoes medullary recycling. The present cortical and papillary micropuncture studies were designed to confirm the existence of medullary potassium recycling and to determine whether acute infusions of aldosterone affected this phenomenon. Thus, nephron segmental analysis of potassium and sodium transport was conducted in adrenalectomized Munich-Wistar rats and similarly prepared rats that received aldosterone acutely to achieve physiological blood levels. The clearance results demonstrated that aldosterone has an acute antinatriuretic and a kaliuretic effect, whereas the micropuncture studies demonstrated that 1) aldosterone increases potassium secretion between early and late distal tubule punctures; 2) aldosterone causes an increase in delivery of potassium to the papillary collecting duct; 3) aldosterone does not increase potassium secretion across the papillary collecting duct; and 4) aldosterone significantly increases medullary potassium recycling as evidenced by increased quantities of potassium present at the bend of the loop of Henle in response to aldosterone infusions. Thus, the studies confirm the existence of potassium recycling and suggest that this phenomenon is a feedback system that, in part, regulates urinary potassium excretion.