Summary
Renal tubular reabsorption of taurine, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and β-alanine was studied in vivo et situ by continuous microperfusion of single proximal tubules of the rat. In each case, reabsorption was much slower than that for other amino acids that have been studied. With a concentration of 0.1 mmol/l in initial perfusate, about 60% of initial load was reabsorbed over perfusion distance of 3 mm. Taurine reabsorption saturated with only 2.17 mmol/l in initial perfusate. Assuming simple two-parameter kinetics, upper limits for K m of 0.54 mmol/l and forV max of 0.59 pmol·cm−1·s−1 for tubular reabsorption of taurine were estimated. High (20 mmol/l) concentrations of taurine or β-alanine in perfusate completely inhibited GABA reabsorption, butl-phenylalanine (20 mmol/l) had no significant effect. The results indicate that the three amino acids are reabsorbed slowly from the proximal tubule by what may be a common transport system. This system appears to have a high affinity but low capacity and to be different from other known renal tubular transport systems for amino acids.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Christensen, H. N.: Relations in the transport of β-alanine and the α-amino acids in the Ehrlich cell. J. biol. Chem.239, 3584–3589 (1964)
Curtis, D. R., Johnston, G. A. R.: Amino acid transmitters in the mammalian central nervous system. Rev. Physiol. Biochem. Pharmacol.69, 97–188 (1974)
Deetjen, P., Silbernagl, S.: Some new developments in continuous microperfusion technique. Yale J. Biol. Med.45, 301–306 (1972)
Eisenbach, G. M., Weise, M., Stolte, H.: Amino acid reabsorption in the rat nephron. Free flow micropuncture study. Pflügers Arch.357, 63–76 (1975)
Gilbert, J. B., Ku, Y., Rogers, L. L., Williams, R. J.: The increase in urinary taurine after introperitoneal administration of amino acids to the mouse. J. biol. Chem.235, 1055–1060 (1960)
Goldman, H., Scriver, C. R.: A transport system in mammalian kidney with preference for β-amino compounds. Pediat. Res.1, 212–213 (1967)
Good, N. E., Winget, G. D., Winter, W., Conolly, T. N., Izawa, S., Singh, R. M.: Hydrogen ion buffer for biological research. Biochemistry5, 467–477 (1966)
Jacobsen, J. G., Smith, L. H.: Biochemistry and physiology of taurine and taurine derivatives. Physiol. Rev.48, 424–511 (1968)
Kashgarian, M., Stöckle, H., Gottschalk, C. W., Ullrich, K. J.: Transtubular electrochemical potentials of sodium and chloride in proximal and distal renal tubules of rats during antidiuresis and water diuresis (Diabetes insipidus). Pflügers Arch. ges. Physiol.277, 89–106 (1963)
Kromphardt, H.: Die Aufnahme von Taurin in Ehrlich-Ascites-Tumorzellen. Biochem. Z.339, 233–254 (1963)
Lingard, J. M., Györy, A. Z., Young, J. A.: Microperfusion study of the kinetics of reabsorption of cycloleucine in early and late segments of the proximal convolution of the rat nephron. Pflügers Arch.357, 51–61 (1975)
Lingard, J. M., rumrich, G., Young, J. A.: Reabsorption ofl-glutamine andl-histidine from various regions of the rat proximal convolution studied by stationary microperfusion: Evidence that the proximal convolution is not homogeneous. Pflügers Arch.342, 1–12 (1973)
Lingard, J. M., Turner, B., Williams, D. B., Young, J. A.: Endogenous amino acid clearance by the rat kidney. Aust. J. exp. Biol. med. Sci.52, 687–695 (1974)
Nutzenadel, W., Scriver, C. R.: Uptake and metabolism of β-alanine andl-carnosine by rat tissues in vitro: role in nutrition. Amer. J. Physiol.230, 643–651 (1976)
Sachs, L.: Statistische Auswertungsmethoden. Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer 1969
Scriver, C. R., Chesney, R. W., McInnes, R. R.: Genetic aspects of renal tubular transport: Diversity and topology of carriers. Kidney Int.9, 149–171 (1976)
Scriver, C. R., Pueschel, S., Davies, E.: Hyper-β-alaninemia associated with β-aminoaciduria and γ-aminobutyricaciduria, somnolence and seizures. New Engl. J. Med.274, 635–643 (1966)
Silbernagl, S.: Cycloleucine (1-amino-cyclopentane carboxylic acid): Tubular reabsorption and inhibitory effect on amino acid transport in the rat kidney (Microperfusion experiments). Pflügers Arch.353, 241–253 (1975)
Silbernagl, S.: Aminosäuren-Transport in der Niere: Ergebnisse der Mikroperfusion. Biologie in unserer Zeit4, 161–168 (1974)
Silbernagl, S., Deetjen, P.:l-Arginine transport in rat proximal tubules. Microperfusion studies on reabsorption kinetics. Pflügers Arch.336, 79–86 (1972)
Silbernagl, S., Foulkes, E. C., Deetjen, P.: Renal transport of amino acids. Rev. Physiol. Biochem. Pharmacol.74, 105–167 (1975)
Silbernagl, S., Pfaller, W., Deetjen, P.: Molecular specificity of tubular amino acid reabsorption. In: Current problems in clinical biochemistry, Vol. 6: Renal metabolism in relation to renal function (U. Schmidt and U. C. Dubach, eds.). Bern: Huber 1976
Sonnenberg, H., Deetjen, P.: Methode zur Durchströmung einzelner Nephronabschnitte. Pflügers Arch. ges. Physiol.278, 669–674 (1964)
Völkl, H., Silbernagl, S.:l-Proline reabsorption in rat kidney tubules. Microperfusion experiments. Pflügers Arch.359, R120 (1975)
Völkl, H., Silbernagl, S.: Handling of proline in the rat kidney. Inhibitory effect of other imino acids, ofl-phenylalanine, and of glycine. Pflügers Arch.362, R11 (1976)
Young, J. A., Edwards, K. D. G.: Stop-flow analysis of renal tubular function in the rat undergoing osmotic diuresis due to creatinine loading. Aust. J. exp. Biol. med. Sci.42, 667–688 (1964)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Supported by National Science Foundation Research Grant No. PCM 75-09918 and by grant No. 1740 of the Austrian “Fonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung”.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dantzler, W.H., Silbernagl, S. Renal tubular reabsorption of taurine,γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) andβ-alanine studied by continuous microperfusion. Pflugers Arch. 367, 123–128 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00585147
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00585147