This proposal requests funds to permit Dr. William H. Dantzler, Department of Physiology, University of Arizona, to pursue with Dr. Varanuj Chatsudthipong, Department of Physiology, Mahidol University, Thailand, for a period of 24 months, research on the renal tubular transport of organic anions. The studies will involve a continuation and expansion of work on organic anion transport steps at both the basolateral and luminal membranes of mammalian renal tubules. They will utilize isolated perfused and nonperfused renal tubules in vitro to test, in intact tubules, the model, based on data from membrane vesicles, that organic anions are transported into cells against an electrochemical gradient. They will utilize similar techniques to evaluate p-aminohippurate transport across the luminal membrane in intact tubules and evaluate possible anion exchange and the involvement of inorganic ions in this transport process. These studies are important in gaining an understanding of how kidneys function and in making a comparison of kidney function in reptiles and in mammals. This project adds an international cooperative dimension to the PI's research under NSF Grant No. DCB-9001985. The collaborators are highly respected scientists who have a record of successful prior cooperative research. This project is relevant to the objectives of the Science in Developing Countries Program which seeks to increase the level of cooperation between U.S. and developing country scientists and engineers through the exchange of scientific information, ideas, skills, and techniques and through collaboration on problems of mutual benefit.
