Renal autotransplants in sheep: investigation of renal function and renovascular hypertension.

1. A novel surgical preparation of sheep with a cervical renal autotransplant has been developed. 2. Glomerular filtration rate and effective renal plasma flow were 25.1 +/- 1.0 ml/min and 208 +/- 10 ml/min respectively (n = 26). 3. The responses to water load and deprivation, to AVP injection, to Na depletion and intravenous hypertonic saline load show the kidneys responded in an appropriate physiological manner. 4. Constriction of the carotid-renal artery to reduce mean renal arterial pressure to 23 +/- 4 mmHg (n = 4) resulted in an increase in systemic mean arterial pressure from 70 +/- 4 mmHg to 75 +/- 4 mmHg within 5 min. Systemic blood pressure further increased to 110 +/- 7 mmHg with 2 h of constriction, when renal arterial pressure had increased to 45 +/- 2 mmHg.