Abstract
1. Changes in water and solute outputs of hydropaenic, normal and hydrated conscious rats were determined during intravenous infusion (0.2 ml./min) of isotonic (0.9%) saline for 4 hr; renal tissue composition was determined before, and after 1 or 2 hr, infusion.2. In normal and hydrated rats increased excretion of water and sodium was such that urinary output matched intravenous input from about 2 hr. In hydropaenic rats, the diuretic and natriuretic response was much reduced; a retention of infused saline, equivalent to 15% body weight, occurred over 4 hr.3. A considerable increase in urea output and clearance, and a smaller increase in potassium and ammonium outputs, occurred in all groups.4. The corticomedullary osmolal gradients characteristic of non-diuretic rats were largely dissipated during saline infusion: by 1 hr in normal and hydrated rats, and by 2 hr in the hydropaenic group.5. These changes were ascribable mainly to an increase in tissue water content in all segments, particularly in the hydropaenic group; and to a profound decrease in urea content in all groups.6. Changes in tissue sodium content were smaller, and differed between segments and between the differently hydrated groups. A decrease in papillary content occurred in hydropaenic and normal groups and an increase in cortical and outer medullary content occurred in all groups.7. After 2 hr saline infusion, incomplete papillary-urinary osmotic equilibration was evident in all groups.8. These changes in medullary osmolality and in papillary-urinary osmotic equilibration preceded the maximal diuresis, and must contribute to the diuresis induced by saline infusion, as in water and osmotic diureses.