Abstract
This study was performed to evaluate renal transport of taurine in the human kidney. Previous studies suggested that normal individuals have three distinct excretion classes which are under genetic control.
Four normal volunteers were given an oral load of taurine (260 mg/1.73 M2) and urinary excretion measured. Then they were studied by classical clearance techniques using inulin as a marker of glomerular filtration. Following baseline determinations of taurine clearance, each subject was given increasing intravenous doses of B-alanine.
Following oral loading, three subjects excreted taurine at a rate of 3.8-5.6 uM/min, while one subject had an excretion rate of 0.14-0.34 uM/min. During baseline conditions, fractional reabsorption of taurine in the three high excretors ranged from 0.65 to 0.80. With B-alanine loading, fractional reabsorption of taurine decreased to 0.13 to 0. In the low excretor, fractional reabsorption of taurine under baseline conditions was 0.99 and decreased to only 0.55 during B-alanine loading.
These studies suggest the presence of both a high and low Km transport system for taurine in the human kidney which is shared by other B-amino acids. Our oral loading studies suggest that taurine transport is genetically determined by a pair of co-dominant alleles.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lorentz, W., Connolly, B. & Goodman, H. TAURINE TRANSPORT IN THE HUMAN KIDNEY. Pediatr Res 14, 1005 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198008000-00191
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198008000-00191