Micropuncture studies on the renal handling of 2,4-diamino-6,7-dimethylpteridine

The excretion of the diuretic substance DADMP (I,4-diamino-6.7-dimethylpteridine) and of DMP (6.7-dimethylpterin) was studied on single nephrons of the rat kidney using microperfusion and microinjection techniques. In the proximal tubule only DADMP was reabsorbed to a significant degree. Fractional reabsorption rate was independent of the load applied and the permeability constant was found to be 2.2 . 10(-4) cm . s-1. Similar results were obtained in nephrons in which the substances, with inulin, were injected from middle proximal tubular puncture sites and recovered in the urine. DMP appeared in the urine quantitatively and simultaneously with the injected inulin. DADMP recovery, however, was only 20--30% of the injected load during the injection period and after 2 h some 70% was recovered from the urine of both kidneys. The reabsorbed fractions were independent of the loads applied, which varied between 2 . 10(-13) mol . min-1 and 10(-9) mol . min-1. A comparison of the microperfusion and the microinfusion data suggests that the reabsorption of DADMP occurs predominantly in the proximal convolution, and it appears that the differences between the renal handling of DMP and DADMP are explicable by their different lipid solubilities.