Localization of urate transport in the nephron of mongrel and Dalmatian dog kidney

Abstract

Localization of urate transport within the nephrons of mongrel and Dalmatian dogs was studied by stop-flow analysis. In mongrel dogs urate concentrations and clearance ratios were lowest in the segment in which PAH was secreted. Urate clearance ratios of 0.7 in free-flow samples were reduced to about 0.3 in stop-flow samples from the proximal segment. In the distal segment urate clearance ratios did not differ significantly from ratios obtained in free-flow. Probenecid, in doses sufficient to block PAH secretion, inhibited urate reabsorption thereby increasing urate clearance. In contrast to these findings with mongrel dogs, the Dalmatians exhibited weak but definite urate secretion within the proximal segment. The action of probenecid in this strain of dogs was to stop all proximal secretory activity for urate thereby reducing urate clearance. It was suggested that mongrel and Dalmatian dogs transport urate by systems that are identical except for direction of urate movement.