Renal autoregulation in chronically catheterized conscious rats

We examined renal hemodynamics and arterial plasma renin activity (PRA) concurrently in trained chronically catheterized conscious rats during decreased and elevated renal arterial pressure (RAP). Control RAP had an absolute value of 112 +/- 2 mmHg (mean +/- SE). During inflation of a suprarenal aortic cuff, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) were autoregulated down to 82% of control RAP. Within this range GFR averaged 107 +/- 5% and ERPF 114 +/- 10% of the control value. During inflation of the infrarenal aortic cuff, RAP increased by 24 +/- 2% to an absolute level of 139 +/- 5 mmHg; this elevation was associated with autoregulation of both GFR (100 +/- 5% of control) and ERPF (94 +/- 6% of control). Arterial PRA had an absolute value during control conditions of 2.1 +/- 0.2 ng ANG I X ml-1 X h-1. It was not significantly altered within the autoregulatory range, being 104 +/- 10% of control during lowered RAP and 120 +/- 15% of control during elevated RAP. Nor, in separate experiments, was PRA changed significantly during the transient state, i.e., at 5, 10, or 30 min after RAP was lowered to an autoregulatory level. These studies demonstrate that, in the conscious rat, there is considerable autoregulatory capacity both below and above resting arterial pressure, and that GFR and ERPF are autoregulated concomitantly. Arterial PRA was not altered significantly within the autoregulatory range.