Properties of body fluids influencing salt gland secretion in Pekin ducks.

Pekin ducks were reared and maintained on 620 mosmol NaCl/kg H2O to enhance the secretory capability of their salt glands. When a control solution of 1,000 mosmol NaCl/kg H2O was infused intravenously at 0.2, 0.4, or 0.6 ml/min for 60-90 min, the infused loads were secreted in approximately equal quantities, indicating that the amount of NaCl in the extracellular fluid (ECF) before and after each infusion did not change. Salt and water secreted in response to experimental infusions of hyposmotic saline or blood were less than the solute and water infused. Thus, ECF volume increased and the Na+ concentration decreased. Infusions of control solution followed these experimental infusions. The salt and water secreted again equaled the amounts infused, indicating that the threshold concentration of Na+ ([Na+]th) for salt gland secretion was decreased by the increase in ECF volume. When the colloid dextran was added to the control solution, its infusion increased the colloid osmotic pressure of the blood and decreased nasal secretion. Because dextran increased the intravascular volume while the interstitial fluid volume (ISFV) decreased, we conclude that the [Na+]th was inversely correlated with ISFV.