Water and solute balance in rats during 10 h water deprivation and rehydration

Rats with bladder and venous cannulas were deprived of water from midnight (00:00) to 10:00. Water deprivation reduced food intake within 2 h, reducing the amount of water sequestered in the gut and the solute load to the tissues. There was little change in either urinary water loss or osmolality, but water-deprived rats excreted more Na+, K+, and Cl- than food-matched controls. The change in solute balance helped preserve osmolality and cell volume at the expense of extracellular fluid volume. When water was returned, rats quickly drank enough to restore the intracellular but not the extracellular fluid deficit. Plasma osmolality and sodium concentration fell below predeprivation values. Urine osmolality and excretion of Na+, K+, and Cl- fell rapidly after drinking. Drinking continued at a slower rate for at least 4 h, but urine flow also increased so water balance stabilized. The changes in intake and electrolyte excretion during water deprivation and rehydration illustrate the important role of changes in solute balance in fluid homeostasis.