Micropuncture studies on the dog kidney

Summary Micropuncture studies were carried out on the dog kidney in order to delineate the response of micropuncture parameters to changes in blood pressure within and below the autoregulatory range. By the use of chloralose anaesthesia and carotid sinus denervation elevations in systemic blood pressure were induced, while the use of Regitine permitted the induction of lower BP levels both in the lower part of the autoregulatory range and to frankly hypotensive levels. The results indicate a constancy of intratubular function (TF/P inulin, transit time, single nephron GFR, intratubular pressure) so long as blood pressure remained within the autoregulatory range, supporting the concept of a preglomerular site for autoregulation. During hypotension the single nephron GFR decreased, the transit time was prolonged, but the end proximalTF/P inulin did not change significantly. These changes in tubular function corresponded to a fall in total GFR, RBF, and filtration fraction. The fall in single nephron GFR was greater than the corresponding fall in total GFR suggesting that during hypotension the filtrate of the punctured superficial nephrons is less well protected than that of other nephrons in the dog kidney.Supported in part by a Medical Research Fellowship of the Medical Research Council of Canada.