Micropuncture studies of the renal effects of atrial natriuretic substance

Micropuncture studies of the renal effects of atrial natriuretic substance. Injection of atrial extract produced by homogenization, boiling and centrifugation of atrial tissue from one heart caused a 10fold increase in urine flow rate and a 30-fold increase in Na excretion. Similarly prepared extracts of ventricle were without effect. To identify the site of action of atrial natriuretic substance, extract was infused intravenously at rates corresponding to 3 or 6 atria per hour. During infusion at a rate of 3 atria per hour mean urine flow increased from 9.5 +/- 2.8 to 17.2 +/- 1.2 microliter/min and Na excretion from 0.14 +/- 0.06 to 1.78 +/- 0.14 mumol/min. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR), single nephron filtration rate (SNGFR) and proximal and loop of Henle fluid absorption did not change significantly. During infusion of 6 atria per hour, paralleling a greater rise in urine flow rate (from 6.4 +/- 2.09 to 40.3 +/- 7.5 microliter/min) and in sodium excretion (from 0.18 +/- 0.0008 to 5.97 +/- 0.93 mumol/min), filtration rate, measured for either the single nephron or the whole kidney, rose. As a consequence of the rise in GFR, delivery of fluid and chloride into the distal tubule increased significantly. These data suggest that to a major extent the natriuresis is caused by transport inhibition along collecting tubules and collecting ducts. In addition, at high doses a rise in filtration rate contributes to the natriuretic effect of atrial extracts.