This thesis examined the function of the urinary bladder in vivo in the freshwater rainbow trout. In the first part of the study two new techniques were developed to examine the possible urine storage and ionoregulatory roles of the bladder in vivo. An indirect approach, using non-catheterized fish, involved "spot sampling" from the bladder to determine urine composition, and measurement of the appearance of ^3H polyethylene glycol-4000 (a glomerular filtration marker) in surrounding water to quantify urination events. The direct approach employed a new external catheterization technique to collect naturally discharged urine. Both methods demonstrated that resting trout urinate in intermittent bursts at 20-30 min intervals, and that natural urine flow rate (U.F.R.) is at least 20 % lower and urinary Na^+ and Cl^- excretion rates at least 40% lower than determined by the traditional internal bladder catheter technique. The urine is stored for approximately 25 min prior to discharge, and significant reabsorption of water and ions (Na^+, Cl^-, K^+, urea, and possibly other substances) occurs via the bladder epithelium during this period; a small residual volume is likely always maintained. The second part of the study employed the new external catheter and the traditional internal catheter to quantify the responses of the bladder, relative to those of the kidney, to two experimental disturbances. Chronic (32 h) infusion with 140 mM NaCl produced isosmotic volume loading without a change in plasma [Na^+], [Cl^-], or acid-base status. The kidney responded with a large increase in glomerular filtration rate (G.F.R.), a smaller increase in U.F.R., and increased reabsorption of water and ions. The bladder responded with a small increase in urination burst volume, a larger increase in burst frequency, and therefore a decreased urine storage time. Despite this increased throughput, Na^+ and Cl^- reabsorption rates across the bladder epithelium actually increased. Reabsorption of urea and K^+ remained constant, despite expected decreases due to decreased urine storage time. A similar infusion with 140 mM NaHCO_3 produced isosmotic volume loading together with metabolic alkalosis reflected m increased blood pH, increased plasma [HCO_3^-], decreased plasma [Cl^-], with no change in plasma [Na^+]. The response of the kidney was similar, though HCO_3^- filtration, reabsorption, and excretion rates all increased, while rates for Cl^- were proportionately lowered; renal Na^+ handling was unaffected. Bladder urination patterns and Na^+ reabsorption were also similar, but there was no evidence of bladder involvement in HCO_3^- secretion or reabsorption (ie. in acid-base regulation). It is concluded that previous studies using internal catheterization have greatly underestimated the ionoregulatory effectiveness of the entire renal system by negating bladder function. The external catheterization technique developed in this thesis provides researchers with a method to collect naturally vented urine, and thereby evaluate the role of the entire renal system, including the bladder, in response to experimental manipulations. / Thesis / Master of Science (MS)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:mcmaster.ca/oai:macsphere.mcmaster.ca:11375/23197 |
| Date | January 1990 |
| Creators | Curtis, B. |
| Contributors | Wood, C. M., Biology |
| Source Sets | McMaster University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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