Autoregulation of renal circulation in mannitol-loaded dogs.

Renal haemodynamics and autoregulatory behaviour of the renal vessels have been investigated in mannitol-loaded dogs both for free-flow and for stop-flow conditions. Arterial pressure has been decreased by aortic clamping. For free-flow conditions: (i) relative constancy of RBF and GFR are well preserved in the entire autoregulatory pressure range, i.e., over 80 mm Hg arterial pressure; (ii) decreased GFR is due to enchanced intratubular pressure; (iii) autoregulation is connected with a sharp rise in afferent resistance, accompained by a passive decrease in efferent resistance. For stop-flow conditions: (i) enchancement of total vascular resistance is due to an increase in the passive resistance of the postglomerular vessels; (ii) afferent resistance drops to minimal values as casused by the relaxation of the corresponding arterioles; (iii) autoregualation is abolished: pressure-flow relations are linear over the entire arterial pressure range examined.