Effect of calcitonin on fractional delivery of sodium and solutes to the juxtamedullary end-descending limb of the rat.

The purpose of the present studies was to examine, by micropuncture, the effect of salmon calcitonin on fractional sodium and solutes deliveries to the juxtamedullary end-descending limb of the rat. All animals were postprandial and thyroparathyroidectomized Munich-Wistar rats. Group 1 (N = 8) consisted of time control water-diuretic rats; group 2 (N = 8) received synthetic salmon calcitonin (10 mU/min) intravenously while undergoing water diuresis; group 3 (N = 8) was treated as group 2 but also received calcium intravenously to prevent the calcitonin-induced fall in plasma calcium. Calcitonin, alone and with calcium, produced a marked fall in urine flow rate and a marked increase in urinary osmolality. Concomitant fractional water delivery to the end-descending limb fell significantly (28 +/- 0.8 to 21 +/- 1.0%, p less than 0.05), while fractional solute and sodium deliveries increased significantly (36 +/- 1.3 to 55 +/- 2.6%, p less than 0.05; 34 +/- 2.0 to 48 +/- 3.5%, p less than 0.05, respectively). The three groups did not significantly differ in fractional water and sodium deliveries to the superficial end-accessible proximal tubule. We conclude that salmon calcitonin is antidiuretic in the rat and that it also produces an increase in fractional sodium and total solute deliveries to the end-descending limb, which we suggest is due to transepithelial sodium addition. The physiological significance of these observations to water homeostasis in vivo remains to be determined.