Cellular osmoregulation in the renal papilla

Abstract

The cells of the renal papilla are subject to extreme variations in extracellular tonicity. To obtain more insight into the mechanisms whereby these cells adapt osmotically to these unique environmental conditions, elements were measured in individual cells of the rat renal papilla in antidiuresis and after prolonged furosemide administration. In antidiuresis cell sodium, chloride and potassium concentrations did not differ fundamentally from those observed in tubule cells exposed to isotonic surroundings such as in proximal tubule cells. The marked fall in extracellular electrolyte concentrations induced by furosemide was paralleled by a far less pronounced decline in intracellular sodium, chloride and potassium concentrations. These data indicate that papillary cells achieve osmoadaptation to widely differing extracellular tonicities mainly by varying the intracellular concentrations of osmotically active substances other than inorganic electrolytes. Since high concentrations of organic osmolytes (sorbitol, inositol, glycerophosphorylcholine and other trimethylamines) have been detected in the papilla and since the tissue contents of these compounds have been shown to vary in parallel with urine osmolality, it may be concluded that metabolically inert, organic osmolytes play a dominant role in the osmoregulation of renal papillary cells.