Polyamines are unevenly distributed within the rat and rabbit kidney

Aliphatic polyamines have generally been measured on the whole kidney. Sinc e the kidney is composed of a variety of cells, whole organ data are of lim ited value for the interpretation of the functions of the polyamines. The a im of this study was to establish the distribution pattern of putrescine, s permidine and spermine within the kidneys of male and female rats and rabbi ts. It is shown that the polyamines are unevenly distributed along the cort ico-papillary axis. Each amine exhibited its own distinct distribution patt ern. The polyamines are predominantly located in the cortex. Putrescine lev els increased gradually from the cortex to the papillary tip in rabbits, wh ereas, in rats, fluctuations in putrescine level were marked. In the six zo nes of the rabbit kidney studied, spermidine and spermine concentrations we re markedly higher in females than in males. This difference was less marke d in rats.