Evaluation of the participation of parietal peritoneum in dialysis: physiological, morphological and pharmacological data.

Bidirectional fluxes of Na+, K+ and Ca++ were estimated under in vitro conditions through isolated patches of rat peritoneal membranes (parietal and visceral). Morphological (TEM) and functional (changes in fluxes) data are presented to show that mesothelium lining the parietal peritoneum forms a barrier than limits diffusion of ions across this membrane. In addition, it was found that Furosemide and nitroprusside change the permeability of the mesothelium for sodium or potassium, respectively.