Demonstration of Countercurrent Diffusion Exchange in the Vasa Recta of the Renal Medulla.

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Abstract
The accumulations of Rb86 and I131 albumin were compared in the cortex, outer medulla and papilla of 6 hydro-penic anesthetized mongrel dogs. Only one-half as much rubidium as albumin appeared in the papilla in 20 seconds of perfusion, while almost twice as much appeared in the outer medulla and 5 times as much in the cortex. In 3 hydropenic dogs perfused with Na22Cl and I131 albumin the Na22+ was similarly excluded from the papilla. These data suggest that the vasa recta do indeed function as countercurrent exchangers to maintain the high renal medullary solute concentrations and gradient, necessary to conserve body water.

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