Previous studies from this laboratory have demonstrated that vasopressin stimulates K, Mg, Ca, Cl, and Na reabsorption by the thick ascending limb of Henle's loop (TALH) of the rat kidney. Micropuncture of superficial nephrons and clearance experiments were performed to determine whether desensitization of the TALH to vasopressin may be demonstrated in vivo and whether such desensitization is specific for the effects of vasopressin (i.e., homologous) or also alters the response to the other hormones acting on the same pool of adenylate cyclase in this nephron segment. Brattleboro rats, with hereditary hypothalamic diabetes insipidus (DI), were given i.m. injections of 1-desamino-8-D-arginine-vasopressin (des-1-amino-[DArg8]VP (herein designated dDAVP); 2 micrograms/day) for 3 days. The effects of maximal physiological doses of arginine-8-vasopressin ([Arg8]VP (herein designated AVP); 20 pg/min per 100 g of body weight) were studied 2 days after the cessation of treatment, when the animals had returned to DI. The K, Mg, Ca, and, to a lesser extent, Cl and Na concentrations in the fluid leaving the TALH of superficial nephrons were higher in dDAVP-treated than in untreated rats given similar amounts of AVP during the experiments. A 50-60% desensitization of the TALH to AVP was still apparent 2 days after stopping the dDAVP injections. Desensitization is homologous, as judged from normal responses to physiological doses of glucagon and calcitonin, two hormones acting on the same cyclase pool as AVP in the rat TALH. The AVP-dependent increase of urine osmolality, however, indicated that its effects on the permeability to water of the collecting duct were scarcely affected in dDAVP-treated rats. It is concluded that (i) AVP induces homologous desensitization in the rat TALH and (ii) the TALH can be markedly desensitized to AVP when the collecting duct response to this hormone is poorly affected or even fully maintained.