Physical properties of isolated perfused basement membranes from rabbit loop of Henle

Isolated, perfused segments of late proximal straight tubule, descending thin limb of Henle, and ascending thick limb of Henle from the rabbit were studied before and after removal of the epithelium with sodium deoxycholate. The relationship between transmural hydrostatic pressure and outer tubule diameter was similar in paired intact tubules and basement membranes, indicating that basement membrane is the principal determinent of tubule distensibility. As calculated from teh measured perfusate flow at several different transmembrane hydrostatic pressures, the hydraulic conductivity of the basement membranes was 6-8 X 10(-3) cm3/cm2.min.cmH2O. With use of these LP values and the calculated oncotic pressure required experimentally to reduce transmembrane hydrostatic pressure transiently to zero, the apparent reflection coefficient of the basement membranes for serum albumin was estimated to be 0.05-0.16. It is concluded that basement membranes of the loop and of other previously studied segments of rabbit nephron provide very strong and elastic mechanical support to the epithelium while having minimal resistance to flow of water and of solutes as large as serum albumin.