Analysis of fluid dynamics in perfused glomeruli of the hagfish eptatretus stouti (Lockington).

The capillary tuft of glomeruli of the hagfish mesonephros contains both 'low'-pressure and 'high'-pressure glomerular vessels (LPGVs and HPGVs). The existence of the HPGV raised the possibility that pressure filtration could occur in the hagfish kidney when the blood pressure was sufficiently high. Therefore, measurements of glomerular capillary pressure were made in HPGVs and LPGVs whilst single glomeruli were perfused with hagfish Ringer's solution that contained the colloid Ficoll 70. Calculations of the effective colloid osmotic pressure in perfused capillaries were made; these showed that hydrostatic pressures within the HPGV were inadequate to effect pressure filtration except at high rates of perfusion. However, high rates of perfusion provoked perfusion pressures that exceeded the highest values measured in the renal blood supply of lightly anaesthetised hagfish. It was concluded that some process other than pressure filtration must account for formation of the primary urine by hagfish glomeruli. The proportion of the perfusate that became urine, the single glomerulus filtration fraction (SGFF), bore a strong positive relationship to the vascular resistance of perfused glomeruli. Both the SGFF and the vascular resistance were inversely related to the rate of perfusion except when that rate was very high. From these two observations it was concluded that at least two flow pathways exist in hagfish glomeruli: one that has a high vascular resistance and that contributes to the elaboration of the urine, and one that has a low vascular resistance and does not contribute to urine formation. The possible anatomical location of the various flow pathways through hagfish glomeruli and how they may function are discussed.