Renal tubular sodium handling determined by lithium clearance in partially hepatectomized rats

Decreased renal sodium excretion was observed 2 to 5 days after a two-thirds hepatectomy (Hx) in male Wistar-Hannover rats (200-300 g; N = 10 per group). This fall occurred after normalization of serum liver enzymes by the second day. Hepatocellular dysfunction was demonstrated by a pronounced and transient increase of about 1150 per cent in plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT), 500 per cent in aspartate aminotransferase (AST), 250 per cent in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and in serum direct bilirubin levels, which were about six-fold higher than in sham-operated (SH) animals on the first and second days aft hepatectomy. On the basis of the renal clearance of lithium in partially hepatectomized rats, there was a sustained decrease in fractional sodium excretion between the second (SH: 0.053 ñ 0.008 per cent vs Hx: 0.023 ñ 0.008 per cent) and fifth days (SH: 0.040 ñ 0.006 per cent vs Hx: 0.027 ñ 0.009 per cent) post-hepatectomy. This decrease was accompanied by a rise in the absolute (68 ñ 5.2 mumol min-1 100 g body weight-l) an fractional (85.2 ñ 1.4 per cent) proximal sodium reabsorption rates compared to sham-operated rats (53 ñ 3.5 mumol min-1 100 g body weigh-1 and 80.6 ñ 1.1 per cent), but a return to baseline excretion levels was observed by the tenth experimental day. These changes occurred in the absence of any alterations in creatinine clearance, sodium filtered load, hematocrit and total blood volume. Further studies are required to establish the mechanisms of interaction between renal tubule sodium handling and liver function.

LDH-x in azoospermia: a new diagnostic alternative to vasography and testicular biopsy.

Activities of different isozymes of lactate dehydrogenase were studied in semen samples from fertile, and different groups of infertile men. No isozyme except the sperm specific LDH-x or C4 showed any difference in activity with changes in sperm density. Activity of LDH-x exhibited a trend positive to changes in sperm density and became absent in obstructive and vasectomized azoospermia. Among other types of azoospermia, the activity became very high in maturation arrest but very low in patients with testicular biopsy showing germ cell aplasia, such as in SCOS and ghostlike tubules. Diagnostic usefulness of the estimation of LDH-x activity in semen is discussed.

Modifications in the seminal protein pattern and concentration among infertile men.

Lower concentrations of protein observed in semen of infertile men were mostly due to absence of vesicular proteins with higher isoelectric pH above pH 8.3. Two to four proteins with lower isoelectric pH showing electrophoretic mobility and originating both from seminal vesicle and prostate were absent in infertile semen samples. Concentrations of such proteins among oligozoospermic and azoospermic samples with complete maturation arrest and Sertoli cell only syndrome decreased mainly towards cathode, whereas, in vasectomized azoospermia the number of protein bands decreased both towards cathode and anode, though the concentration decreased mainly in the anodic proteins.