title: Inner medullary lactate production and urine-concentrating mechanism: a flat medullary model.
abstract: We used a mathematical model to explore the possibility that metabolic production of net osmoles in the renal inner medulla (IM) may participate in the urine-concentrating mechanism. Anaerobic glycolysis (AG) is an important source of energy for cells of the IM, because this region of the kidney is hypoxic. AG is also a source of net osmoles, because it splits each glucose into two lactate molecules, which are not metabolized within the IM. Furthermore, these sugars exert their full osmotic effect across the epithelia of the thin descending limb of Henle's loop and the collecting duct, so they are apt to fulfill the external osmole role previously attributed to interstitial urea (whose role is compromised by the high urea permeability of long descending limbs). The present simulations show that physiological levels of IM glycolytic lactate production could suffice to significantly amplify the IM accumulation of NaCl. The model predicts that for this to be effective, IM lactate recycling must be efficient, which requires high lactate permeability of descending vasa recta and reduced IM blood flow during antidiuresis, two conditions that are probably fulfilled under normal circumstances. The simulations also suggest that the resulting IM osmotic gradient is virtually insensitive to the urea permeability of long descending limbs, thus lifting a longstanding paradox, and that this high urea permeability may serve for independent regulation of urea balance.
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale Unit 467, Necker Faculty of Medicine, University of Paris 5, France.
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hervy
authors.forename: S Randall
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000502:physiology; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006019:Glycolysis / Q000502:physiology; D007671:Kidney Concentrating Ability / Q000502:physiology*; D007679:Kidney Medulla / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism*; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008954:Models, Biological; D009399:Nephrons / Q000378:metabolism; D009997:Osmotic Pressure; D012079:Renal Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D014508:Urea / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019344:Lactic Acid; D014508:Urea; D005947:Glucose