Osmoregulatory betaine uptake by rat renal medullary slices.

Betaine is an osmolyte present in high concentrations in renal medullary cells. Betaine and other organic osmolytes, such as glycerophosphorylcholine, myo-inositol, and sorbitol, have been shown to increase in concentration during antidiuresis when the inner medullary extracellular osmolality rises. Its concentration may increase in renal cells either by betaine uptake or by choline metabolism to betaine.

Effect of vanadate on renal hypertrophy and sorbitol accumulation in streptozotocin induced diabetes in rats.

Vanadate has been previously shown to normalize blood glucose in streptozotocin-induced diabetic (STZ-DM) rats. The effect of a previously studied dose of vanadate (0.8 mg/ml) in drinking water on blood glucose, renal hypertrophy, and whole kidney polyol accumulation was studied in STZ-DM rats.