Handling of allantoin by the rat kidney. Clearance and micropuncture data.

Renal excretion of allantoin was measured by tracer techniques. After injection of 2-C14 urate and H3 inulin, clearances of allantoin and inulin were measured and both proximal and distal tubules were micropunctured. In confirmation of earlier results 2-C14 urate injected into an intact animal is very rapidly converted to C14 allantoin: after 15 min more than 90% of urinary tracer is present as allantoin. It was further observed that 1) allantoin clearance is essentially identical with inulin clearance over a wide range of urine flows; 2) no net transport of allantoin occurs in either proximal or distal tubules. Clearly allantoin is handled by the rat kidney like inulin. The total excretion of filtered allantoin unlike that of filtered urate provides an easy and effective mechanisms for animals possessing the enzyme uricase to dispose of their purine loads.