Long chain fatty acid transport by the perfused rat kidney

Transport of the long chain fatty acid (LCFA), palmitate (C16), was studied in the isolated rat kidney perfused with Krebs-Henseleit bicarbonate buffer containing 1% defatted albumin. Because palmitate was extensively bound to albumin, its filtration was negligible and transport into renal tubular cells occurred across the peritubular membrane. Saturation of peritubular uptake of palmitate was observed with a maximum uptake of 2.4-2.5 mumol . g wet weight -1 . 20 min-1. Under the conditions of these experiments, uptake was not affected by attempts to alter fatty acid metabolism, by substances known to be transported by the organic acid transport system or by other LCFA.