Effect of flow rate and the extracellular fluid volume on proximal urate and water absorption

The in vivo microperfusion technique was used to examine the effect of variations in tubular flow rate and the extracellular fluid volume on [2-¹⁴C]-urate and water absorption in the proximal tubule of the rat. In nondiuretic animals, fractional urate absorption was highest at the lowest perfusion rate examined and decreased as the rate of perfusion was increased. Increasing the initial concentration of urate in the perfusion solution had no effect on the fractional absorption of urate. Fractional water absorption was also inversely related to the rate of perfusion. Expansion of the extracellular fluid volume with isotonic saline resulted in rates of urate absorption similar to control values at any given microperfusion rate. Fractional water absorption showed the same flow rate dependency pattern observed in control animals, but at a significantly lower rate of absorption. These studies indicate that fractional urate absorption is dependent upon some parameter of tubular flow rate and that the relationship between urate absorption and perfusion rate is not related to the delivered load of urate per se and is not affected by the state of hydration of the extracellular fluid.