On the influence of the natriuretic factor from patients with chronic uremia on the bioelectric properties and sodium transport of the isolated mammalian collecting tubule.

A gel filtration fraction of urine from patients with chronic renal disease (natriuretic factor) has been shown previously to cause natriuresis in rats and to inhibit sodium transport in the isolated toad bladder. The effect of this fraction on transtubular potential difference and sodium transport was examined on the isolated perfused cortical collecting tubule of the rabbit. A rapid inhibition of potential difference from -22.5 mV to -12 mV (P less than 0.001) was observed when the fraction was applied to the peritubular surface. This effect was accompanied by a decrease in net sodium flux from 6.29 to 3.21 pmol/cm per s (P less than 0.001). Unidirectional fluxes using isotopic sodium revealed that the inhibition of net sodium transport was due to a decrease in flux from the lumen to the peritubular surface, i.e., an inhibition of active sodium transport. There was no change in sodium flux in the reverse direction. These changes were all rapidly reversed by removal of the fraction from the peritubular surface. The addition of the fraction to the lumen had no effect on potential difference or net sodium flux. Control studies using the same fraction from the urine of normal subjects had no effect on any of the parameters studies. Where both a uremic and a normal fraction were sequentially applied to the peritubular surface of the same tubule, inhibition of potential difference was obtained only with the former. In the light of evidence implicating the collecting duct fraction from normal animals, the data are consistent with the view that the natriuretic factor may be biologically important in the regulation of sodium balance via it's regulatory role in active sodium transport in the collecting tubule.