Effects of glucagon and PTH on the loop of Henle of rat juxtamedullary nephrons.

We investigated by micropuncture the effects of glucagon and parathyroid hormone (PTH) on thin limbs of juxtamedullary nephrons of rats with reduced plasma concentration of endogenous glucagon, PTH, antidiuretic hormone (ADH) and calcitonin, all four hormones enhancing the adenylate-cyclase activity in the thick ascending limbs and the distal nephron. Such a hormonal depletion suppresses the corticomedullary concentration gradient, making favourable conditions for studying the influence of these hormones on the renal concentrating mechanism. Administration of glucagon (4.4 ng/min-1) or PTH (5 mU/min-1) to these hormone-deprived rats elicited the expected decrease in urinary Mg and Ca fractional excretion without modifying either fractional or absolute excretion of water. At the tip of the loop, glucagon enhanced the loop fluid osmolality by 20%, but left the delivery of water unchanged. The Na and Cl concentrations increased significantly with the osmolality, resulting in a positive correlation between the fractional delivery of either ion and the loop fluid osmolality. PTH increased the fraction of filtered phosphate delivered to the thin limbs, as expected, but, in contrast to glucagon, did not alter either the Na, Cl, or total solute fractional deliveries. The Mg, Ca and K deliveries were unaffected by glucagon and PTH. In conclusion, glucagon, which activates the cyclase system of both the medullary and cortical portion of the thick ascending limb, enhances the delivery of salt to the tip of the loop by net sodium chloride addition to the descending limb. PTH which activates the adenyl-cyclase system only in the cortical thick ascending limb cannot enhance such NaCl delivery. NaCl, when added, might therefore originate from the medullary thick ascending limb.