Putative osmolytes in the kidney of the Australian brush-tailed possum, Trichosurus vulpecula

Abstract

The Australian brush-tailed possum, Trichosurus vulpecula, is capable of producing a moderately concentrated urine, at least up to 1300 mOsm l −1. Kidneys of adult animals fed in captivity on a normal diet with ready access to water were analysed. The inner medullary regions were found to have moderately high concentrations of sodium (outer medulla, 367±37; inner medulla 975±93 mmol kg −1 dry wt.), chloride (outer medulla 240±21; inner medulla 701±23 mmol kg −1 dry wt.) and urea (outer medulla, 252±62; inner medulla, 714±69 mmol kg −1 protein). When the animals were fed on a ‘wet diet’, amounts of these substances in the outer medulla and cortex were reduced, although with the exception of urea these changes were not significant. There were highly significant changes in amounts of Na +, Cl − and urea in the inner medulla (Na +, 566±7; Cl −, 422±9 mmol kg −1 dry wt.; urea 393±84 mmol kg −1 protein). Likewise, the inner medulla of animals fed a ‘dry diet’ with limited access to water showed highly significant increases in the same substances (Na +, 1213±167; Cl −, 974±137 mmol kg −1 dry wt.; urea, 1672±98 mmol kg −1 protein). Inositol was found in the outer medulla (224±90 mmol kg −1 protein) and inner medulla (282 mmol kg −1 protein) as was sorbitol (outer medulla, 62±20; inner medulla, 274±72 mmol kg −1 protein). Both these polyols were reduced in amount in renal tissue from ‘wet diet’ animals, and increased in ‘dry diet’ animals, but the changes were not statistically significant. The methylamines, betaine and glycerophosphorylcholine (GPC), showed a similar pattern, but both were significantly elevated in the inner medulla of ‘dry diet’ animals (betaine 154±57 to 315±29 mmol kg −1 protein; GPC 35±7 to 47±10 mmol kg −1 protein). It was concluded that in this marsupial the concentrating mechanism probably functions in a similar way to that in higher mammals, and that the mechanism of osmoprotection of the medulla of the kidney involves the same osmolytes. However, the high ratio of betaine to GPC in the inner medulla resembles the situation in the avian kidney.