RENAL EXCRETORY RESPONSES OF TAURINE-DEPLETED RATS TO HYPOTONIC AND HYPERTONIC SALINE INFUSION

Male Wistar-Kyoto rats were given either tap water (control) or 3% bet a-alanine (taurine-depleted) for three weeks. To prepare for the kidne y function studies, the animals were then implanted with femoral vesse ls and bladder catheters. Two days after surgery, each rat was given a n intravenous infusion of saline at the rate of 50 mu l/min and urine samples were collected at specific time intervals. An isotonic saline solution (0.9% NaCl) was infused for determination of baseline paramet ers and was followed by the infusion of a hypotonic saline solution (0 .45% NaCl). Two days later, the infusion protocol was repeated in the same animals; however, a hypertonic saline solution (1.8% NaCl) was su bstituted for the hypotonic saline solution. Renal excretion of fluid and sodium increased in the control, but not taurine-depleted, rats du ring the hypotonic saline infusion. Interestingly, diuretic and natriu retic responses were similar between the groups during hypertonic sali ne infusion. The results suggest that taurine-depletion in rats affect s renal excretory responses to a hypotonic, but not a hypertonic, sali ne solution.