Neural control of renin release

Among the major mechanisms controlling the renal release of renin, renal nerves are known to exert a direct stimulating action on juxtaglomerular cells that is mediated by β-adrenoceptors. Activation of the renal nerves also exerts an important permissive role in order to amplify and possibly accelerate responses to stimuli affecting the vascular and macula densa mechanisms. Reduction of renal perfusion pressure, intravenous infusion of furosemide, and captopril administration cause a greater increase in renin release from innervated kidneys than from denervated kidneys. A complex interaction between neural and non-neural mechanisms in the control of renin secretion is suggested. Efferent renal nerve activity controlling the renin secretion rate is mainly under the inhibitory influence of vagal afferent fibers originating from the cardiopulmonary region. Recent experiments have demonstrated that a similar reflex tonic inhibition of renin secretion is also exerted by renal afferent fibers.