Osmotic forces driving water reabsorption in the proximal tubule of the rat kidney.

Simultaneous microperfusion of proximal tubules and peritubular capillaries in kidneys of rats anesthetized with Inactin was used to measure reabsorption of fluid in response to an imposed osmotic gradient. The tubular fluid was isotonic and the peritubular capillaries were made hypertonic with NaCl or NaHCO3. Mean gradients and ionic fluxes were measured. When no gradient was imposed tubular fluid became hypotonic and rate of fluid reabsorption was 0.700 nl.mm-1.min-1. Imposition of a 25 mM NaCl gradient increased fluid flux to 3.887 nl.mm-1.min-1, whereas 25 mM NaHCO3 stimulated 5.226 ml/mm fluid reabsorption. This gave a relative reflection coefficient of NaCl:NaHCO3 of 0.73. Apparent water permeability varied with highest values for the smallest gradients. This suggests the possibility of a compartment in the epithelium that is hypertonic to the peritubular capillaries. The hypertonicity required to account for fluid movement was 6-16 mosmol/kg.