The mechanisms of urea transport by early life stages of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

We tested the hypothesis that urea transport in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) embryos is dependent, in part, on a bidirectional urea-transport protein. Acute exposure to phloretin and urea analogs [acetamide, thiourea, 1,(4-nitrophenyl)-2-thiourea] reversibly inhibited urea excretion from the embryos to the external water. Unidirectional urea influx was inhibited by acetamide and thiourea, with IC(50) values of 0.04 and 0.05 mmol l(−1), respectively. Influx of urea from the external water to the embryo tended to saturate at elevated external urea concentrations (V(max)=10.50 nmol g(−1) h(−1); K(m)=2 mmol l(−1)). At very high urea concentrations (20 mmol l(−1)), however, a second, non-saturable component was apparent. These results indicate that urea excretion in trout embryos is dependent, in part, on a phloretin-sensitive facilitated urea transporter similar to that reported in mammalian inner medullary collecting ducts and elasmobranch kidney.