Relation of Lymph to Distending Fluids of the Kidney. ∗

Abstract

Summary

Renal lymph from dogs was analyzed, along with the fluids which naturally distend the kidney, arterial and renal venous blood, and urine. Lymph resembled the last quarter of the kidney's drained fluid in its content of Na, Cl, glucose and protein, but had less urea, K and PO₄. Both fluids had half the protein content of blood plasma, but the same fractional distribution, measured by paper electrophoresis, of albumin and α-1 globulin, β-globulin and α-2 globulin, and γ-globulin. Both fluids were also observed to have a constant composition in the face of varying urinary composition. The hypothesis is developed that fluids which functionally distend the kidney and which drain out of the vein when the artery is clamped originate from two sources: vascular blood and a large interstitial compartment. It is further postulated that blood plasma enters the interstitial compartment with utmost freedom. This compartment in turn is functionally distended with plasma plus resorbate in transit from tubules to the vascular system.