Aldosterone effects on renal metabolism.

1. Manometric studies of the sodium dependent oxygen consumption in rat kidney slices have failed to reveal any significant effect of aldosterone treatment, adrenalectomy or sodium diet on sodium diet on sodium metabolism. 2. However, ammonia release from kidney slices was significantly reduced following adrenalectomy and this decrease was influenced by aldosterone treatment. 3. The dose-response characteristic obtained for this aldosterone-stimulated ammonia release has been determined. 4. The effect of a high Na+ diet on the ammonia release has been studied. An initial decrease after 2 days may be associated with decreased endogenous aldosterone secretion. However, aldosterone (2.5 microgram/100 g body weight)injections into these high Na+ treated animals fails to restore the normal ammonia release. 5. The effects of aldosterone (2.5 microgram/100 g body weight), dexamethasone (2.5 microgram/100 g body weight) and corticosterone (2.5 microgram/100 g body weight) injections, in adrenalectomized rats, on ammonia release and tissue tyrosine aminotransferase activities have been compared.