In order to establish the characteristics of net renal transport and utilization of α-ketoglutarate (α-KG) in the rat, we have precisely quantified the renal blood flow, the urinary flow and the rates of α-KG delivery, filtration, reabsorption or secretion, excretion, uptake or production by an in vivo rat kidney preparation. In normal rats, α-KG uptake was higher than α-KG reabsorption at both endogenous and elevated plasma α-KG concentrations; thus, a net peritubular transport, which was the main supplier of α-KG to the renal cells, took place. Saturation of reabsorption and peritubular transport of α-KG occurred at blood α-KG concentrations about 30 and 150 times above normal, respectively. Acute metabolic acidosis was found to have no effect on renal handling of α-KG. At endogenous plasma α-KG concentrations, alkalosis converted net renal uptake into net renal production of α-KG resulting in addition of α-KG by the renal cells both to blood and to the luminal fluid. Elevation of blood α-KG concentration restored the renal uptake of α-KG. This uptake, which was entirely accounted for by the peritubular transport of α-KG, reached a maximum which was lower than that observed in normal and acidotic rats.