1. Proximal tubular fluid flow rate was deliberately reduced to control values in rats after acute volume expansion with hyperoncotic albumin, to determine if the depression of reabsorption by albumin-induced expansion could be uncovered by preventing the associated increase in filtrate delivery. Tubular fluid flow was reduced either by reducing renal perfusion pressures or by diverting fluid from early proximal tubular sites.
2. In the absence of controlled delivery, expansion with hyperoncotic albumin increased nephron filtration rate, reduced the TF/P inulin ratio, but had no effect on absolute reabsorptive rate. When proximal tubular flow rate was returned to control values by a simultaneous early collection, fractional reabsorption remained depressed. By contrast, when tubular flow was maintained at control values by reducing renal perfusion pressure, the large fall in fractional reabsorption was blocked.
3. The results indicate that expansion with hyperoncotic albumin depresses proximal tubular reabsorption independently of delivery rate into the proximal tubule, but that this effect can be reversed by a reduction in renal perfusion pressure. These observations unify the results of previous studies and indicate the presence of a delivery-related influence on proximal reabsorption. The inability to detect a reduction in absolute reabsorption when nephron filtration rate is increased during expansion with hyperoncotic albumin is probably due to the countervailing influence of increased delivery rate, which raised reabsorptive rate.
