Renin secretion at the individual nephron level.

Blood was collected from the descending aorta, from a renal efferent arteriole and from the renal vein of a rat. The renin concentrations of the blood samples were measured. The renal vein renin concentration was 673 +/- 81 (SE) ng ml-1h-1 which was significantly higher than the concentration in the aorta of 456 +/- 50 (SE) ng ml-1h-1. The concentration of renin in the renal efferent arteriole was significantly lower than that in the aorta. These observations imply that net renin secretion is a combination of two processes; removal between artery and efferent arteriole and entry between efferent arteriole and renal vein. It appears that renin is released into the interstitium and enters the circulation at the capillary level rather than being released into the afferent or efferent arterioles. This mode of secretion supports the suggestion that the renin angiotensin system may primarily work intra-renally rather than through the systemic circulation.