Effect of Renal Ischemia on Renal Tubular Function in the Rat as Measured by PAH Uptake in Vitro

Abstract

Using the mammalian kidney slice technique of Cross and Taggart, it was shown that renal ischemia of 15-60 minutes resulted in a greater uptake of para-aminohippuric acid (PAH) by slices from the ischemic kidney than by slices from kidneys of control animals. Renal ischemia of 2-4 hours produced a marked decrease in the amount of PAH accumulated by renal cortical slices. A 2_hour recovery period followed the ischemic period before the kidneys were removed from the rats. Complete ischemia for 1 hour (ligation of renal artery and vein as well as the capsular and ureteral vessels) without a recovery period did not produce a difference between the PAH uptake by the cortical slices of the ischemic and non-ligated kidneys in the same animal. Partial ischemia for 1 hour or less (renal vessels ligated) resulted in a greater accumulation of PAH in the cortical slices of the ischemic kidney than in the non-ligated kidney. Possible explanations for these results are discussed.