In an attempt to clarify the mechanism of ion transport across the renal tubule of rat kidney, elect-rical gradient was measured at the proximal and distal tubules of rat kidney under the various conditions. Under the control condition with intravenous saline infusion, mean TTPD (transtubular potential difference) was 20.1±3.4 mV at proximal and 37.8±4.8 mV at distal tubule respectively, lumen negative. Effect of cold temperature was also observed and proximal and distal TTPD decreased as a function of change in temperature. Cytotoxic agents, DNP, ouavain and mercuric chloride depressed both proximal and distal TTPD. However, significant increase of distal TTPD was observed following the intravenous injection of unab-sorbed anions, Na2SO4 and Na4Fe(CN)6, whereas no effect on proximal TTPD was recorded.

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The present paper is the fifth of a series of neuromorphological studies on the intra-renal innervation of the monkeys (Macaca fuscata fuscata), and diels with the neurility of the glomerular tufts. The main results obtained under the use of Suzuki's silver technique for paraffin sections, are as follows : 1. The glomerular nerve-elements are recoginized as direct continuation of the nerve-elements per-taining to the afferent and efferent arterioles, and partly, as direct one of the nerve-nets being distributed. in the Goormaghtigh's cells group area. 2. The glomerular nerve-elements are seen to be distributed to the whole region of the glomerular tufts, by means of passing through the mesangial area in a reticulate form. 3. The pericytes, endothelial cells and mesangial cells are observed to be attached with the delicate terminal nerve-nets, respectively. 4. These terminal nerve-nets are often found to be beset with some small knot-or club-like structures, which seem to be sensory in functional nature.Explanation of Figures1. Showing the innervation (arrows) in the preglomerular portion of an afferent arteriole (a), j, jux-taglomerular cells: g, glomerulus.2. Showing the innervation (arrows) of the vascular pole of a glmmerulus (g). Note continuity of the nerve-net (arrows) from an afferent arteriole (a) to the glmoerulus. j, juxtaglomerular cell.3. Showing a fine beaded nerve fiber (arrow) being attached to a glomerular capillary.4. Showing the much delicate nerve-net (arrows) pertaining to the pericytes (p) of a glomerular capi-llary.5. Showing the much delicate nerve-net (arrows) belonging to a endothelial cell (e) of a glomerular capillary.6. Showing the innervation of a mesangial cell (m). In this case, note continuity of the nerve-net (arrows) from the extraglomerular area of the Goormaghtigh's cell group (gc) to the intraglomerular mesangium area.7. Showing a possible sensory nerve-ending (arrow) of a club-like form.

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A new method is devised to indicate a trend of a quantitative loss of potassium in different diuretics. In this method, urinary K/Na ratio after a single dose of diuretics is rectified by urinary sodium excretion rate, i. e., the gradient of "diuretic response line" is applied to indicate a trend of potassium loss. The reliability of this method is tested with an electronic computer, in comparison with several method based on the concept of balance study of electrolytes.1) Serum potassium level. So far a trend of potassium loss in diuretics has been indicated by changes of serum potassium level following a long-term administration of diuretics. Clinical observations reveal that the occurrence of hypopotassemia may correspond to a trend of potassium loss thus incicated. But such an indicative methed is handicapped by the necessity of using a large number of persons.2) Dose response curve. The dose response curve of urinary potassium excretion is more reliable in indicating a trend of potassium loss than serum potassium level. Although it affords a semiquantitative indication, it does not allow to compare pharmacological effects of diuretics with different potency and different duration of potassium excretion.3) Urinary K/Na ratio. Urinary K/Na ratio in adrenalectomised animals has been used as standard of mineralcorticoid-activity, so that this ratio seems to be applicable to indicate a trend of potassium loss of diuretics. However urinary K/Na ratio is not constant following administration of diuretics, and the minimum urinary K/Na ratio, attained at maximum diuresis, is influenced by indivisual conditions, e. g., diet contents and aldosteroneactivity. Therefore the minimum urinary K/Na ratio obtained in well controled subjects, may be valid among the diuretics possessing almost the same order of diuretic potency.4) Gradient of diuretic response line. It has been empirically found that there exist hyperbolic relations between urinary K/Na ratio and sodium excretion rate following administration of diuretics. As previously reported in the present series of study, hyperbolic relations can be converted to a rectilinear one, on logarithmic scales with a designation of "diuretic response line". It seems reasonable that these relations can indicate a relative potassium loss in comparison with urinary sodium excretion rate. Through clinical experiments, conclusions reff eying to the gradient of diuretic response line are made as following a) The lineality of diuretic response line is approved by qui-spuare test with 99% of confidence, b) A trend of potassium loss indicated by the gradient of this line is almost indipendent of factors which influence methods based on the concept of balance study of electrolytes. When the same does of a diuretic is administered to healthy adults whether on a constant or a randum diet and to edematous patients, no significant differences are observed in the means of the indices obtaind. c) Both a trend of potassium loss, and the retaining action of recently developed characteristic diuretics can be indicated by the same method. b) The values calculated by the gradients and a range of 5 % confidence limit on healthy adults are : acetazoleamide -0.2022%plusmn;0.1072, hydrochlorothiazide -0.4233±0.1796, furosemide -0.5891±0.1875, meralluride -0.7175±0.2073, acetothiazide -0.8676±0.2488, cyclopenthiazide -0.8842±0.1531, furterene -1.2264±0.1680 and amiloride HCl -1.9750±0.2513. The order of a trend of potassium loss of various diuretics indicated by this index is well consistent with clinically obtained data. It has been asserted in the present series of study that diuretic response test should be clinically used in order to check aldosterone activity and factors inducing refractory edema and a new application of diuretic response test is introduced.

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Unilateral contracted kidney has been made with following procedure. Nephrotoxic antiserum was injected into V. auricularis of the rabbit, after clamping right A, renalis with Satensky's hemostat. Exactly 20 minutes later the hemostat was taken off. Three months later, the right kidney became as small as 1.5 gm., while left kidney hypertrophied up to 11 gm, and renal function was compensated. No hypertension was observed. In this report, the left kidney of the rabbit with contracted right kidney was attacked by the same nephrotoxic antiserum with (A) or without (B) protection of right kidney by clamping right A. renalis. In both A and B, renal failure occured in the rabbits with a) chronic, b) subacute and c) slowly progressive course. Sustained hypertension was observed in each group, 4 weeks after the attack of the left kidney. Pathologic picture of each group (a), b) and c) was fairly compatible with its clinical course and closely resembling the spectrum of human glomerulonephritis (Ellis, type II). This experimental model would be available in the research on the pathogenesis of chronic glomerulonephritis.

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1. Periodic acid silver methenamine staining for electron microscopy is considered to be a fairly useful technique for glycoprotein detection and a most valuable method for demonstration of histochemical changes at ultractructure level.2. Control and nephrotic kidneys of human and rat are studied by this method. The formation of the basement membrane in the glomeruli of normal and pathological conditions, are apparently performed by the epithelial cell.3. The mesangium plays an important role in turn-over of the basement membrane, under the control condition and experimental nephritis.4. It is likely that the change of stainings in lipoid nephrosis and aminonucleoside nephrosis is related to the histochemical changes of the basement membrane.5. It is assumed that membranous nephropathy might be induced by the percipitation of deposit in the glomerular basement membrane.

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The patients with various hypertension, secondary aldosteronism, Conn's syndrome, endocrinological diseases of adrenal-pituitary system and pregnancy were employed in the Angiotensin Short Infusion Test which is simpler and more comfotable for the patients than the original method of Kaplan and Silah. Vascular reactivity to synthetic angiotensin II, plasma renin activity and aldosterone excretion rate were examined in this experiment. Vascalar reactivity to synthetic angiotensin II was normal (4-8 ng/kg/m.) or increased in essential hypertension (KW I-II), and on the other hand, the patients with malignant hypertension showed reversely low vascular reactivity to synthetic angiotensin II. The patients with renovascular hypertension also showed low vascular reactivity except for one case, and most of the patients with Conn's syndrome demonstrated high vascular responsiveness. Vascular reactivity in endocrinlogical diseases of adrenal-pituitary system and pregnancy, was not consistent. The moderate positive correlation between vascular responsiveness, plasma renin activity and aldosterone excretion rate was demonstrated in all cases except primary aldosteronism. Vascular reactivity to angiotensin II did not show the consistent changes in cases on low sodium diet (20-40 mEq/day). Angiotensin Short Infusion Test is simpler and more comfortable for the patients than that originated by Kaplan and Silah and this method can eliminate the unfavorable conditions caused by various stresses and also is useful to some extent for the diagnosis of Conn's syndrome and renovascular hypertension.

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The relationship between synthetic angiotensin-II and the release of adrenal medullary catecholamines has been reported by many investigators, since Braun-Menendez et al. (1940) reported that angiotensin stimulated discharge of adrenaline from the adrenal medulla. An experiment was carried out to ascertain this action of synthetic angiotensin-II in dogs. The methods to administrate synthetic angiotensin-II were as follows : a continuous venous infusion in a dosis of 0.025 γ/kg/min, and of 0.1 γ/kg/min for ten minutes into the brachial vein ; and a single injection into the lumboadrenal artery in a dosis of 0.0025 γ/kg, andd of 0.1 γ/kg. The blood samples were collected through a catheter in the vena cava inferior near the left adrenal vein by the modified method of Cession & Cession-Fossion or of Peach et al. Catecholamines were estimated by a fluorometric method of modified Weil-Malherbe &Bone's. The results were as follows : At a rate of 0.025 γ/kg/min, angiotensin-II increased the release of catecholamines from the adrenal medulla by 40.9% of control value at five minutes and 50.7% at tenn minutes. With a dosis of 0.1 γ/kg/min, it released adrenaline 110%, 96.2% at five and ten minutes, respectively ; and noradrenaline 61.9% and 46.9%. With a single injection of 0.0025 γ/kg of angiotensin-II into the left lumboadrenal artery, although it did not influence the blood pressure, an increase in adrenaline was 43.9% and noradrenaline 27.4% at one minute after the injection, whereas a dosis of 0.1 γ/kg of angiotensin-II increased the release of adrenaline to 114.1%, noradrenaline to 52.5% at one minute. Moreover it was confirmed that angiotensin-II prolonged the release of adrenaline and it was increased, by 77.9% and noradrenaline was 32.4% at 15 minutes. Therefore, the author assumes that synthetic angiotensin-II stimulates the release of catecholamines, paticularly adrenaline, from the adrenal medulla, which may act directly on the adrenal medullary cells, and this phenomen is convinced by a single injection of angiotensin-II into the left lumboadrenal artery, although a dosis of 0.0025 γ/kg did not influence the blood pressure. The relationship between renin-angiotensin system arid catecholamine may participate in a part of the neurohormonal component of renalL hypertension.

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