Effects of lumen volume transit time and pressure on loop of Henle function

Experiments on Henle's loops were designed to demonstrate the relationships of absorption to distal pressure, transit time, and luminal diameter. Loops of superficial nephrons in hydropenic rats, isolated from the rest of the nephron by oil or solid paraffin blocks, were microperfused at 13.6--20 nl/min. Two samples of fluid were collected from the early distal tubule--one with suction in order to lower distal pressure and reduce luminal volume, the other without suction so that the lumen was distended. Transit times were 30 +/- 2 s without and 19 +/- 2 s with suction. Proximal tubule pressure and perfusion rate were not altered by collection with suction. Absolute absorption, however, descreased from 10.6 +/- 0.4 to 8.4 +/- 0.4 nl/min (P less than 0.001). When salt transport was inhibited by 10(-4) M furosemide in the perfusate, water absorption was 7.8 +/- 0.7 nl/min without suction and 6.1 +/- 0.8 nl/min with suction (P less than 0.01). Computer simulation of Henle's loop shows that these observations cannot be explained by changes in transit time, hydrostatic pressure, or unstirred layers. The observations are simulated when radial fluxes depend on wall thickness and surface area in the descending thin limb.