Vascular alpha adrenotropic responses of the isolated rabbit kidney at 15 degrees C.

Rabbit kidneys were isolated and perfused with a balanced salt solution at 15 degrees C. The effects of norepinephrine (NOR) and phentolamine (P) were tested after fastly or slowly induced cooling. Vascular alpha receptor effects were enhanced by a slow cooling rate (0.6 degrees C/min), but blocked or impaired by a faster cooling rate (6 degrees C/min). Kidney function was severely impaired at this temperature as it would be expected.