This study reports measurements of albumin permeability in isolated coronary venules. The isolated microvessel technique allows the quantification of transmural exchange of macromolecules under tightly controlled physical and chemical conditions. Transvenular exchange of albumin was studied in isolated coronary venules during alterations in filtration rate caused by changes in intravascular pressure. The apparent permeability coefficient of albumin (Pa) at an intraluminal pressure of 11 cmH2O was 3.92 +/- 0.43 x 10(-6) cm/s. Elevating intraluminal pressure to 16 and 21 cmH2O increased Pa to 5.13 +/- 0.57 x 10(-6) and 6.78 +/- 0.66 x 10(-6) cm/s, respectively. Calculation of the true diffusive permeability coefficient of albumin (Pd) at zero filtration rate was 1.54 x 10(-6) cm/s. The product of hydraulic conductance (Lp) and (1 - sigma), where sigma is the solute reflection coefficient, was 3.25 x 10(-7) cm.s-1 x cmH2O-1. At a net filtration pressure of 4-5 cmH2O, diffusion accounts for > 60% of total albumin transport across the venular wall. Transmural albumin flux is very sensitive to filtration rate, rising 6.7% for each cmH2O elevation of net filtration pressure. At 11 cmH2O net filtration pressure, convection accounts for nearly 70% of net albumin extravasation from the venular lumen. We suggest that the isolated coronary venule is a suitable preparation for the study of solute exchange in the heart.