ELECTROKINETIC BASIS OF URINARY TRANSPORT

Electrokinetic studies of urine and its constituents have been carried out across urinary bladder membranes of goat. Measurements of the hyd rodynamic permeability, electroosmotic permeability, streaming potenti al and streaming currents of urine and its constituents were carried o ut, and the results were analysed using the methodology of nonequilibr ium thermodynamics. It was found that the hydrodynamic permeability of urine is the lowest and the electroosmotic permeability is the highes t of other constituents of urine in aqueous media. Measurements of the streaming potential and streaming currents were made to assess symmet ry in the membrane system and also to understand the basis of micturit ion phenomena. The effect of an increase in oxalic acid and other ston e-forming constituents in urine has also been investigated. It was fou nd that a urine-oxalic acid mixture is a poor energy converter compare d with urine. Such studies are expected to be of very great use in pre dicting the inefficient functioning of urinary bladder membranes which ultimately leads to the formation of urinary calculi in the bladder. Thus electrokinetic measurements are of immense use in dealing with th e physiological responses of the membranes in diverse situations.