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M A Knepper

Publications and source records attributed to M A Knepper.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Concentration dependence of urea and thiourea transport in rat inner medullary collecting duct.

The vasopressin-dependent urea permeability of the rat terminal inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD) is much greater than can be explained by lipid-phase permeation or paracellular diffusion, suggesting the presence of vasopressin-stimulated facilitated transport pathway. We used the isolated perfused tubule technique to test whether the urea transport pathway exhibits saturation characteristics consistent with a facilitated pathway. When the luminal urea concentration was varied between 0 and 800 mM (no urea in peritubular bath), the relationship between the urea flux and the luminal concentration was linear with a y-axis intercept that was not significantly different from zero, indicating an absence of saturation in this concentration range. Higher concentrations of urea could not be tested due to technical limitations. However, when thiourea (a urea analogue that shares the urea transport pathway with urea) was substituted for urea in similar experiments, the apparent thiourea permeability fell with increasing thiourea concentration in the range 10-200 mM, indicative of saturation of the urea-thiourea transporter. When the urea concentration was varied in both bath and lumen, the lumen-to-bath urea flux approached a limiting value at 400-500 mM urea, consistent with saturation of the transporter. However, nonspecific inhibition of urea transport by bath urea could not be ruled out in those experiments. We conclude that the urea and thiourea transport pathway in the terminal IMCD exhibits saturation characteristics. However, the urea concentration required to saturate the pathway is apparently high, at least 400-500 mM in one set of experiments and probably greater than 800 mM in another.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Apical acidification by rabbit papillary surface epithelium.

The rabbit papillary surface epithelium (PSE) is a simple cuboidal epithelium that covers the outer surface of the renal papilla and has an apical surface that faces the urinary space. We studied acid-base transport in this epithelium by dissecting it from the papilla, mounting it in a modified Ussing chamber, and following pH changes in the apical bathing solution. The experiments demonstrated that the PSE is capable of acidifying the apical solution at a substantial rate. The acidification rate was similar with 100% nitrogen and 100% oxygen (with and without 10 microM antimycin A), ruling out a dependence on oxidative metabolism. Addition of 1 mM iodoacetate decreased apical acidification by 55%, suggesting a dependence on glycolysis. The net rate of lactate secretion was only 17% of the total acid secretion rate, indicating that apical acidification was not directly caused by secretion of lactic acid alone. Removal of sodium or potassium from the apical solutions or the addition of 1 mM N-ethylmaleimide failed to eliminate the apical acidification. Although the rate of PSE apical acidification is comparable to that of the rabbit outer medullary collecting duct (on a unit surface area basis), its contribution to urinary net acid excretion is likely to be small, owing to the small relative surface area of the PSE. However, by altering the pH of urine locally within the pelvic recesses, the PSE has the potential of modifying the formation of renal stones within the pelvic recesses.

Acids↗
PubMed1990

Urea gradient-associated fluid absorption with sigma urea = 1 in rat terminal collecting duct.

It has been proposed that inner medullary collecting ducts (IMCDs) can absorb fluid in the absence of a transepithelial osmolality gradient if a perfusate-to-bath urea gradient is present. Such a process has been suggested to be caused by a nonunity reflection coefficient for urea (sigma urea less than 1). However, our recent measurements of sigma urea yielded values not significantly different from 1.0. The present study was done to readdress the possibility of direct coupling of water and urea transport in the rat IMCD. Isolated rat terminal IMCD segments were studied in the presence of 10(-10) M vasopressin with the osmolality of the perfusate equal to that of the peritubular bath but with a perfusate-to-bath urea gradient (bath osmolality balanced with NaCl). We measured both fluid absorption rate and urea concentration in collected fluid and calculated the osmolality of the collected fluid. We observed rapid fluid absorption associated with substantial urea absorption. The urea absorption caused a large fall in the osmolality of the collected fluid with respect to the bath. Simulations with a mathematical model of an isolated perfused tubule revealed that the transepithelial osmolality gradient generated along the length of tubule (caused by urea absorption) was large enough to account for the fluid absorption. Measurement of sigma urea with the "zero-flux" (or null point) method revealed a value of 1.00 +/- 0.02. Thus we conclude that the observed fluid absorption is the result of a transepithelial osmolality gradient generated by rapid urea absorption and does not require sigma urea less than one.

Absorption↗
PubMed1990

Glutamate dehydrogenase activities in microdissected rat nephron segments: effects of acid-base loading.

A method for measurement of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activity in single renal tubules was employed to determine the distribution and regulation of GDH in tubule segments. Fresh microdissected tubules from collagenase-treated kidneys were permeabilized by hyposmotic shock and freezing. The rate of conversion of alpha-ketoglutarate, NH4+, and NADH to glutamate and NAD was measured at 37 degrees C fluorometrically. Very high activities were found in proximal tubule segments (150-210 pmol.min-1.mm tubule length-1), intermediate values (40-90 pmol.min-1.mm-1) in distal convoluted tubules, cortical thick ascending limbs, connecting tubules, medullary thick ascending limbs, and lower values (5-30 pmol.min-1.mm-1) in cortical collecting ducts, inner medullary collecting ducts, outer medullary collecting ducts, outer medullary thin limbs, and inner medullary thin limbs. To determine the effects of acid-base loading on GDH activity, 0.28 M NH4Cl (acid) or 0.28 M NaHCO3 (alkali) was added to the animals' drinking water for 7 days. Acid intake by the rats increased GDH activity in S1 and S2 proximal tubules by threefold, with no effect in other segments, including S3 proximal tubules. Alkali intake decreased GDH activity in the S3 proximal tubule by 40%, with no effect in other segments. We conclude that GDH activities are highest in proximal tubule segments and are regulated only in proximal tubule segments. Thus the results are consistent with the view that the proximal tubule is the chief site of the regulated production of ammonium in the kidney.

Acid-Base Imbalance↗
PubMed1990

The vasopressin-regulated urea transporter in renal inner medullary collecting duct.

The terminal part of the inner medullary collecting duct (terminal IMCD) is unique among collecting duct segments in part because its permeability to urea is regulated by vasopressin. The urea permeability can rise to extremely high levels (greater than 100 x 10(-5) cm/s) in response to vasopressin. Recent studies in isolated perfused IMCD segments have established that the rapid movement of urea across the tubule epithelium occurs via a specialized urea transporter, presumably an intrinsic membrane protein, present in both the apical and basolateral membranes. This urea transporter has properties similar to those of the urea transporters in mammalian erythrocytes and in toad urinary bladder, namely, inhibition by phloretin, inhibition by urea analogues, saturation kinetics in equilibrium-exchange experiments, and regulation by vasopressin. The urea transport pathway is distinct from and independent of the vasopressin-regulated water channel. The increase in transepithelial urea transport in response to vasopressin is mediated by adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate and is associated with an increase in the urea permeability of the apical membrane. However, little is known about the physical events associated with the activation or insertion of urea transporters in the apical membrane. Because of the importance of this transporter to the urinary concentrating mechanism, efforts toward understanding its molecular structure and the molecular basis of its regulation appear to be justified.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Thiazide-sensitive NaCl absorption in rat cortical collecting duct.

The mechanism of transepithelial NaCl transport was investigated in isolated perfused cortical collecting ducts from the kidneys of deoxycorticosterone-treated rats. In the presence of vasopressin, hydrochlorothiazide (0.1 mM) markedly reduced the net rate of Na absorption, Cl absorption, and active fluid absorption but did not significantly change the transepithelial voltage. Similarly, in the absence of vasopressin, hydrochlorothiazide decreased the rate of sodium absorption by 50% without affecting transepithelial voltage. Amiloride (30 microM) completely eliminated the lumen-negative voltage but decreased net sodium absorption only by approximately 50%. In the presence of amiloride, chloride absorption occurred against an electrochemical gradient for chloride, indicating that there was active chloride absorption. Bumetanide (0.1 mM) did not affect chloride absorption or spontaneous fluid absorption in the presence of vasopressin. The combination of amiloride and hydrochlorothiazide inhibited net sodium absorption by a greater extent than did either agent alone. These results demonstrate the presence of the following two parallel sodium transport pathways in cortical collecting ducts from mineralocorticoid-replete rats: 1) an electrogenic pathway blocked by amiloride, which presumably involves an apical sodium channel, and 2) a thiazide-inhibitable electroneutral pathway, which presumably utilizes apical Na-Cl cotransport and mediates secondary active transport of chloride.

Absorption↗
PubMed1990

Phosphate-dependent glutaminase activity in rat renal cortical and medullary tubule segments.

To determine whether local production of ammonium by medullary renal tubule segments may contribute to medullary ammonium accumulation, we measured activities of phosphate-dependent glutaminase (PDG) in microdissected tubule segments from rat medulla and cortex. PDG activities were very low in medullary loop of Henle segments but surprisingly high in inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD). In cortex, PDG levels were highest in distal convoluted tubule and cortical thick ascending limb, but substantial levels were also found in proximal segments, as reported previously. To determine effects of acid loading and alkali loading on PDG activity, 0.28 M NH4Cl (acid) or 0.28 M NaHCO3 (alkali) was added to rats' drinking water for 7 days. PDG activities in medullary segments were not affected by acid or alkali intake. Acid intake by rats increased PDG activity in S1 and S2 proximal convoluted tubules severalfold but did not affect the other cortical segments. We conclude that medullary loop of Henle segments probably contribute relatively little to medullary ammonium accumulation because of their low activities. The high PDG activity in IMCD suggests that ammonium could be produced and secreted by this segment. However, because total tubule length of IMCD is very low compared with proximal tubules, it appears unlikely that IMCD contributes substantially to overall renal ammonium production. PDG activity is regulated only in S1 and S2 proximal tubules, consistent with the view that the proximal tubule is the major site of regulation of renal ammonium production.

Ammonium Chloride↗
PubMed1990

Ammonium transport in collecting ducts.

In vivo studies have shown that ammonium is secreted into the lumen of each of the major collecting duct segments. This secretion occurs by passive diffusion of NH3 in parallel with active H+ secretion. In vitro measurements in each segment have established that the NH3 permeability is relatively high (10(-3) to 10(-2) cm/s) while the NH4+ permeability is essentially zero. Interstitium to lumen NH3 concentration gradients have been observed in vivo in the inner medulla and are presumed to exist in other segments. The active H+ secretion causes a pH disequilibrium in segments which lack carbonic anhydrase and enhances the NH3 gradient driving NH3 secretion by decreasing the luminal NH3 concentration. The low NH4+ permeability prevents NH4+ backflux.

Ammonia↗
PubMed1989

ANF inhibits NaCl and fluid absorption in cortical collecting duct of rat kidney.

Atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) is a peptide hormone that causes a large increase in urinary sodium chloride and water excretion when its plasma concentration rises above basal levels. As yet, there is no consensus regarding the chief site of action of ANF in the kidney. We microdissected and perfused rat cortical collecting ducts in vitro to determine whether ANF-(1-28) can directly inhibit net sodium and fluid absorption. ANF decreased both net sodium absorption and vasopressin-stimulated net fluid absorption by 50-90% when added to the peritubular bath solution. Approximately 50% inhibition of net fluid absorption occurred at 0.1 nM ANF, a level equivalent to plasma concentrations in volume-expanded rats. The action of ANF was mimicked by the addition of exogenous guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate. If ANF has a similar action on the cortical collecting duct in vivo, it could account for a substantial part of the ANF-mediated increase in urinary sodium and water excretion.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Na+-K+-ATPase activities in renal tubule segments of rat inner medulla.

Recent studies have revealed that both the thin segment of the long loop of Henle and the inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD) are morphologically and functionally nonuniform along their lengths. In the present study, we have carried out measurements of Na+-K+-ATPase activity in thin limb and IMCD segments microdissected from different positions along the axis of the rat inner medulla. Among collecting duct segments, in control rats, Na+-K+-ATPase activity was highest in the initial quarter of the IMCD. The Na+-K+-ATPase activity was lower and relatively uniform along the remaining three quarters of the IMCD. Na+-K+-ATPase activities in cortical and outer medullary collecting duct segments were similar to previously reported values. The Na+-K+-ATPase activity in the initial quarter of the IMCD was increased following in vivo deoxycorticosterone administration (by 140%) and following dietary NaCl restriction (by 100%). These procedures increased Na+-K+-ATPase activity by smaller degrees or not at all in the remaining three-quarters of the IMCD. Thin descending limbs and thin ascending limbs from all regions of the inner medulla had low but readily measurable values. Based on these results, we conclude that all inner medullary renal tubule segments have measurable Na+-K+-ATPase activities that could potentially drive solute active transport.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Aldose reductase activities in microdissected rat renal tubule segments.

Osmoregulation in inner medullary cells depends in part on cellular accumulation of sorbitol, the production of which from glucose is catalyzed by aldose reductase. To identify nephron segments that contain aldose reductase, we developed a fluorometric ultramicroassay to measure aldose reductase activity in microdissected nephron segments from collagenase-treated kidneys of Sprague-Dawley rats. DL-Glyceraldehyde (10 mM) was used as a substrate. Substantial aldose reductase activities were found in all three inner medullary renal tubule segments: thin descending limbs, thin ascending limbs, and inner medullary collecting ducts. Activity increased with depth into the inner medulla in all three segments. When aldose reductase activities were normalized by cell volume the activities in the three inner medullary segments were similar. Little or no aldose reductase activity was measured in glomeruli or any cortical or outer medullary nephron segment. Both proximal convoluted and proximal straight tubules were found to have a substantial capacity to reduce DL-glyceraldehyde, but the finding of greater reductase activity with D-glucuronate (10 mM) than with D-xylose (10 mM) indicated that the activity was due to aldehyde reductase. Sorbitol dehydrogenase (measured by a similar ultramicroassay method) was present in substantial amounts in proximal tubules, but not in inner medullary collecting ducts. The overall pattern of enzyme activities is consistent with the proposed osmoregulatory role for sorbitol in all three inner medullary renal tubule segments.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aldehyde Reductase↗
PubMed1989

Independence of urea and water transport in rat inner medullary collecting duct.

Several published models of the renal concentration mechanism have assumed a reflection coefficient for urea in the inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD) that is less than unity, implying direct coupling between water and urea transport. In the present study, we used isolated perfused terminal IMCD segments and mathematical modeling of IMCD transport to determine the validity of this assumption. Mathematical simulations of IMCD transport, using recently published data on urea and water permeability, revealed that the method previously used to measure the reflection coefficient for urea underestimates the true value. The modeling results allowed us to design two new experimental protocols to determine the reflection coefficient for urea. In the first protocol, we measured the ability of a transepithelial urea gradient to induce a water flux, correcting for the dissipation of the urea gradient by rapid passive urea permeation. In the second protocol, we directly measured the solvent drag of urea resulting from an osmotically induced water flux. Both protocols yielded values for the urea reflection coefficient that were not significantly different from unity (0.92 +/- 0.04 and 1.07 +/- 0.05, respectively). Thus we find no evidence for direct coupling between urea and water transport in the rat terminal IMCD.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Role of organic anions in renal response to dietary acid and base loads.

Bicarbonate is formed when organic anions are oxidized systemically. Therefore, changes in organic anion excretion can affect systemic acid-base balance. To assess the role of organic anions in urinary acid-base excretion, we measured urinary excretion in control rats, NaHCO3-loaded rats, and NH4Cl-loaded rats. Total organic anions were measured by the titration method of Van Slyke. As expected, NaHCO3 loading increased urine pH and decreased net acid excretion (NH4+ + titratable acid - HCO3-), whereas NH4Cl loading had the opposite effect. Organic anion excretion was increased in response to NaHCO3 loading and decreased in response to NH4Cl loading. We quantified the overall effect of organic ion plus inorganic buffer ion excretion on acid-base balance. The amounts of organic anions excreted by all animals in this study were greater than the amounts of NH4+, HCO3-, or titratable acidity excreted. In addition, in response to acid and alkali loading, changes in urinary organic anion excretion were 40-50% as large as changes in net acid excretion. We conclude that, in rats, regulation of organic anion excretion can contribute importantly to the overall renal response to acid-base disturbances.

Acid-Base Equilibrium↗
PubMed1989

Chloride and osmotic water permeabilities of isolated rabbit renal papillary surface epithelium.

The papillary surface epithelium (PSE) covers the mammalian renal papilla. It has been proposed that water or solute fluxes across the PSE might result in changes in urine or medullary interstitial fluid composition. To study osmotic water and chloride permeabilities, the PSE was dissected from underlying medullary tissue and mounted in a small Ussing chamber. Osmotic water permeability was low (14.2 +/- 3.0 microns/s) and was unaffected by 100 nM vasopressin added to the basolateral surface. In contrast, the PSE showed a substantial chloride permeability of 3.1 +/- 0.4 x 10(-5) cm/s that decreased reversibly to 2.2 +/- 0.3 x 10(-5) cm/s (P less than 0.01) with vasopressin. Vasopressin also reversibly increased the transepithelial resistance of the PSE from 87 +/- 9 to 106 +/- 13 omega.cm2 (P less than 0.02). Apical bumetanide (10(-6) M) had no significant effect on PSE chloride permeability. The apparent Na-Cl permeability ratio (0.75 +/- 0.01) calculated from dilution potential measurements was not affected significantly by vasopressin or apical bumetanide. We conclude that it is unlikely that physiologically significant osmotic water fluxes occur across the papillary surface epithelium. However, the NaCl permeability is sufficiently high that physiologically significant transepithelial NaCl fluxes could occur under conditions associated with reflux of urine backward from the papillary tip.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Inhibition of urea transport in inner medullary collecting duct by phloretin and urea analogues.

Arginine vasopressin (AVP) increases the urea permeability of the rat terminal inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD) to levels much greater than can be explained by lipid-phase permeation or paracellular diffusion, suggesting the presence of an AVP-stimulated facilitated transport pathway. We tested whether inhibitors of facilitated urea transport in erythrocytes and toad bladder also inhibit urea transport in the isolated perfused IMCD. Apparent urea permeability (Purea) was determined by measuring the flux due to an imposed 5 mM concentration gradient. Phloretin (0.25 mM in lumen or bath) reversibly inhibited Purea. Phloretin, however, did not alter the osmotic water permeability. Urea analogues (200 mM) in the bath inhibited Purea (thiourea, 74% inhibition; methylurea 65%; acetamide 35%). Urea analogues in the lumen decreased Purea with the same order of potency. The inhibitory K1/2 for thiourea in the lumen was 27 +/- 2 mM and did not change with 10(-10) M AVP (28 +/- 3), despite a fourfold increase in Purea. We conclude the following. 1) Inhibitor actions on urea transport in the IMCD are similar to those in red blood cells and toad bladder, suggesting that the urea transporter could be a membrane protein similar to that in the other tissues. 2) Inhibition of Purea by phloretin without an effect on vasopressin-stimulated water permeability supports the view that the urea pathway is not the vasopressin-stimulated water channel. 3) The ability of AVP to increase Purea without an effect on the inhibitory K1/2 for thiourea indicates that AVP probably does not act by altering the binding affinity of individual transporters for urea.

Amiloride↗
PubMed1989

Continuous-flow quantitation of Na+ and K+ in nanoliter samples using chromogenic macrocyclic ionophores.

Continuous-flow colorimetric methods for measurement of sodium and potassium contents in 1- to 30-nl aqueous samples are described. The methods employ macrocyclic ionophores (cryptahemispherands) that selectively bind sodium or potassium, altering the absorbance spectra of covalently attached chromophores. The potassium method is linear in the range 0-350 pmol and exhibits a high degree of precision (coefficient of variation of approximately 2% in the 150- to 350-pmol range). It can detect as little as 8 pmol of K+. The sodium method is linear in the range 0-2,700 pmol and also exhibits a high degree of precision (coefficient of variation of approximately 3% in the 1,700- to 2,700-pmol range). It can detect as little as 57 pmol of Na+. The instrumentation and reagents are available from commercial sources. These methods are proposed for measurement of K+ and Na+ fluxes in isolated perfused tubules.

Colorimetry↗