During the past few years it has been proposed that lithium clearance can be used as a reliable measure for the outflow of tubular fluid from the proximal tubule. This study was aimed to characterize the inflow dependent reabsorption of Na in renal tubule beyond the proximal tubule. For this purpose, lithium clearance was used as a measure for the inflow from the proximal tubule and the changes in reabsorption fraction of Na and water were determined in rabbits. Rabbits were pretreated with hypotonic saline solutions for an hour (50 mM/L NaCl, 20 ml/hr/kg). And then a hypertonic solution of 500 mM/L NaCl (20 ml/kg) was administered intraperitoneally in conjunction with a bolus of LiCl solution (2 mM/kg, i.v.) for conditioning the CLi and urine flow rate. To rule out the effect of Li+ on tubular functions, a bolus of NaCl solution (2 mM/kg, i.v.) was administered. Fifteen, thirty, and sixty minutes after injection of hypertonic saline arterial blood and urine samples were taken. Urinary and plasma concentrations as well as urinary output of Li+, Na+ and K+ were measured. From these CLi, CNa and the reabsorption fraction of Na and water (FrNa & FrH2O) were calculated. These results were compared with those from control groups in which the same amount of isotonic saline (145 mM/L NaCl) and of 15% dextran solution were administered in the same way as that in experimental group. Followings are the results obtained. 1) The plasma concentration of Na+ in rabbits injected with hypertonic saline reached the peak value after 15 min and thereafter no significant change was observed. Hematocrit values did not show any change, while urinary excretion of Na+ increased markedly during the first 15 min and decreased thereafter. These results were not affected by an injection of a small amount of LiCl. 2) The clearances of Li+, Na+ and K+ in rabbits injected with hypertonic saline and LiCl solution decreased. 3) In spite of the variation in CLi, FrNa did not show any significant change while FrH2O increased gradually. 4) CLi decreased also in rabbits received isotonic saline. FrNa tended to be higher than that in hypertonic saline group, while FrH2O and FrNa did not associated with the decrease in CLi. 5) CLi of the rabbits received dextran solution fluctuated persistently and FrNa and FrH2O did not change in along with CLi although FrNa had a tendency to be higher than that in hypertonic saline group. 6) From the above results it was concluded that: (a) In rabbits with normal body store of Na+, the FrNa of renal tubule beyond proximal tubule. calculated from CLi as a measure of inflow from proximal tubule is constant in spite of variations in CLi. (b) The FrH2O calculated from CLi is dependent largely upon ADH rather than inflow from proximal tubule. (c) When there is a decrease in plasma Na+ concentration or ineffective body fluid. Li+ reabsorption may occur in the thick segnent of Henle s loop and hence the determination of FrNa and FrH2O will not be easy one, but FrNa is constant under the same experimental conditions.