Renorenal reflex responses to mechano- and chemoreceptor stimulation in the dog and rat

The renal functional effects of renal mechano- (MR) and chemoreceptor (CR) stimulation were examined in dogs and rats. In dogs increasing ureteral pressure (increases UP) increased ipsilateral (ipsi) renal blood flow and renin secretion rate, decreased contralateral (contra) renal blood flow, but did not affect contra renal excretion or renin secretion rate. Increasing renal venous pressure (increases RVP) increased ipsi renin secretion rate but did not affect contra renal function. Retrograde ureteropelvic perfusion with 0.9 M NaCl at unchanged UP did not affect either ipsi or contra renal function. In rats,increases UP and retrograde ureteropelvic perfusion with 0.9 M NaCl at unchanged UP did not affect mean arterial pressure, heart rate, contra renal blood flow, or glomerular filtration rate but increased contra urine flow rate and urinary sodium excretion. Increasing ureteral pressure with 0.1 M NaCl increased contra urine flow rate and urinary sodium excretion, whereas retrograde ureteropelvic perfusion with 0.1 M NaCl was without effect. Thus increases UP and retrograde ureteropelvic perfusion with 0.9 M NaCl stimulated renal MR and CR, respectively. The contra diuretic and natriuretic responses to renal MR and CR stimulation were abolished by either ipsi or contra renal denervation. Renal MR and CR stimulation increased ipsi afferent renal nerve activity (RNA) and decreased contra efferent RNA. These results indicate that in dogs renal MR stimulation results in a modest contralateral excitatory renorenal reflex, whereas in rats renal MR and CR stimulation produce a contralateral inhibitory renorenal reflex.