Chronic thyroparathyroidectomy and tubular handling of phosphate: increased reabsorption in late but not in early proximal tubule.

The fractional reabsorption (FR) of inorganic phosphate (Pi) along the proximal tubule depends upon both the filtered load of Pi (FLPi) and the tubular reabsorptive capacity of the Pi transporting system. To assess the actual effect of parathyroid hormone on the reabsorptive capacity only, the influence of Pi load has to be eliminated. In this study FRPi was determined by free-flow micropuncture along superficial nephrons of chronically (48 h) thyroparathyroidectomized (TPTX) and pair-fed sham-operated (SHAM) rats at identical FLPi [TPTX 3.07 +/- 0.14 (n = 26) and SHAM 3.07 +/- 0.11 (n = 26) mumol/min +/- SEM]. The micropuncture results indicate that in the ranges of tubular fluid over plasma inulin concentration [TF/P)In] 1.00-1.49 and 1.50-1.99, no difference in FRPi between TPTX and SHAM could be detected. It is only between a TF/PIn of 2.0 and 2.49 that chronic TPTX resulted in a significant increase in FRPi. Accordingly the present study indicates that chronic TPTX increases FRPi in late but not in early portions of proximal tubule. Thus in the early proximal tubule the tubular reabsorptive capacity of the Pi transporting system appears to be unaffected by chronic removal of the parathyroid glands. From this result it can be inferred that the increased plasma concentration of Pi which follows the removal of the parathyroid glands, particularly in the chronic stage, will lead to an apparently paradoxical decrease in FRPi in early proximal tubule as a mere consequence of the increased filtered load of Pi.