Renal response of the new-born dog to a saline load: the role of intrarenal blood flow distribution.

1. The renal response to an intravenous saline load was studied in thirty new-born mongrel dogs aged 1-30 days and in seven adult dogs.2. After the infusion of isotonic saline at a rate of 2.0 ml. min(-1) kg(-1) for 15 min and then at a rate of 0.5 ml. min(-1) kg(-1) for an additional 105 min, the puppies excreted a significantly smaller fraction of the infused sodium than did the adults (P < 0.01).3. Both puppies and adults increased their glomerular filtration rates after the saline load. However, adults excreted a larger fraction of their filtered sodium than did the puppies (P < 0.01).4. There was no correlation between age and the ability to respond to a saline load during the first month of life.5. Intrarenal blood flow distribution was measured by the radioactive microsphere technique. After saline infusion in the puppy there was an increase in outer cortical blood flow but inner cortical blood flow remained relatively constant. The result was a decrease in the ratio of inner to outer cortical blood flow (IC/OC ratio). In contrast the IC/OC ratio tended to increase in the adult dog after saline expansion.6. There was no correlation between the magnitude of change of sodium excretion and the change of intrarenal blood flow distribution in the puppy.7. These results confirm that the natriuretic response of the new-born dog kidney is less efficient than that of the adult dog. This is due primarily to the failure of the puppy kidney to decrease fractional sodium reabsorption. Although the new-born dog alters intrarenal blood flow distribution in response to saline loading this alteration does not appear to play a significant role in sodium excretion.