Influence of peritubular hydrostatic and oncotic pressures on fluid reabsorption in proximal tubules of the rat kidney.

Proximal tubular reabsorption was measured with the split droplet technique under the following conditions. Group 1. Star vessel perfusions with ultrafiltrate in the presence of human serum albumin (HSA) and with ultrafiltrate alone. Group 2. Capillary perfusions, under locally high flow rates, with ultrafiltrate in the absence or presence of HSA. Group 3. Subcapsular perfusions with ultrafiltrate of high HSA concentrations but under low hydrostatic pressure and ultrafiltrate of low HSA concentrations but under elevated hydrostatic pressure. In Group 1, the presence of HSA increased the reabsorptive rate, whereas ultrafiltrate alone had no provable effect on the reabsorptive rate. In Group 2, a flow dependent decrease of the reabsorptive rate, that was not influenced by the presence of HSA, was observed. Finally, in Group 3, high concentrations of HSA did not alter the reabsorptive rate, whereas elevation of the hydrostatic pressure decreased the reabsorptive rate. The results cannot be explained on the basis of a simple passive mode of action of colloid osmotic and hydrostatic pressure on the reabsorptive rate. The possibility of a direct tubulae capillary transport route is discussed.