A. R. Lavender

Direct effects of glucagon on renal hemodynamics and excretion of inorganic ions.

Abstract The direct renal effects of glucagon were studied in 13 dogs. Glucagon was infused in dilute solution directly into one renal artery for 4 clearance periods of 20 minutes each, and the differences between kidneys in GFR, ERPF, FF, and excretory rates of Na, Cl, K, H2O, P, Ca, and Mg were compared with differences observed during the immediately preceding four 20-minute periods during which 0.85 per cent saline was infused into one kidney. The differences between kidneys during saline infusion were small or insignificant. Glucagon infusion produced a bilateral rise in GFR and FF, of about the same degree in each kidney. In all except the intial glucagon period, however, there was no difference in GFR, ERPF, or FF between the infused kidney and its mate. There was a small, statistically significant rise in differential GFR for the first glucagon period but not for the remaining 3 periods. Glucagon produced a marked differential increase in excretion of all measured ions; the sodium increase was the largest. The results support the conclusion that glucagon acts directly upon the renal tubule to decrease the reabsorption of Na, Cl, H2O, Ca, and Mg, and to decrease the “net” tubular reabsorption of K.

Erythropoiesis and Erythropoietin in Patients with Chronic Renal Failure Treated with Hemodialysis and Testosterone

Abstract Testosterone was administered to two patients with chronic renal failure (one patient was anephric) who were being treated with periodic hemodialysis. The hematocrit and plasma erythropoie...

Assay of human leukoagglutinins by capillary migration.

SUMMARY A new method for assaying human leukoagglutinins has been developed that is a measure of intercellular dissociation and migration of centrifuged leukocytes in capillary tubes by the force of gravity. Comparative studies indicate that the capillary migration method is 10-100 times more sensitive than microscopic agglutination. It, is highly reproducible and rapidly performed. Utilizing sera from the National Institutes of Health serum bank, the method has been adapted for leukocyte typing and cross-matching. The increased sensitivity appears to account for the higher incidence of reproducibly positive responses determined by capillary migration than by microscopic agglutinations. This was most prominent with antisera primarily developed for use in cytoxicity tests. The method is simple, requires no special equipment, and may be partially automated.

Renal Responses to Acetylcholine.

Summary Infusion of Ach into one renal artery of the dog induced unilateral increase in calcium and phosphate excretion and increased GFR, ERPF and excretion of sodium, potassium, chloride and water. Products of Ach hydrolysis, choline and acetate, were inactive. Atropine blocked the renal responses to Ach but exerted no renal actions in the absence of exogenous Ach. Several anticholinesterases failed to alter renal hemodynamic or excretory functions. The excretory changes produced by Ach were not explicable on the basis of changes in GFR alone and indicate that Ach exerted a direct renal tubular action. The data constitute further evidence that cholinergic mechanisms may be regulators of cellular cation transport systems.

Effects of Intra-Adrenal Infusion of Potassium on Urinary Potassium Excretion in the Dog.

Summary 1) A technic has been described whereby the dog adrenal may be infused in situ without disturbing its arterial blood supply. 2) Utilizing this technic, infusion into left adrenal arteries of a solution containing high concentrations of potassium did not affect serum potassium concentration or urinary potassium excretion any differently than infusion of similar solution into a non-adrenal artery. It is concluded that the kaliuretic response to potassium infusions is not mediated by a direct action of potassium on the adrenal cortex.