Carbonic anhydrase (acetazolamide-sensitive esterase) activity in the blood, gill and kidney of the thermally acclimated rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri.

1. Gill, kidney and blood levels of acetazolamide-sensitive esterase (carbonic anhydrase) activity were estimated at acclimation temperature and at a common temperature (25 degrees C) in rainbow trout acclimated to 2, 10 and 18 degrees C. Plasma levels of sodium, potassium and chloride were also examined for possible acclimatory variations. 2. Plasma sodium and chloride levels, and the sodium:chloride ratio were unaffected by thermal acclimation; potassium concentrations were significantly elevated at 18 degrees C. 3. Significant, but modest changes in renal and branchial carbonic anhydrase activity were observed under physiologically realistic incubation temperature conditions. Blood carbonic anhydrase activity was sharply elevated at higher acclimation temperatures. 4. The data are discussed in relation to the hypothesis that carbonic anhydrase in this relatively stenothermal freshwater salmonid, through its intimate association with the coupled HCO-3/CL- and H+ +NH+4/Na+ exchange systems may provide for relatively thermostable basal rates of sodium and chloride uptake from the medium and recovery from urine. The renal, and more notably the branchial (Na+/K+)-stimulated ATPase systems, and erythrocytic carbonic anhydrase may then serve primarily as high-temperature amplifiers of sodium and chloride recruitment respectively.