In vivo microperfusion was used to assess the changes in the active and passive components of bicarbonate absorption in the rat late proximal tubule during chronic metabolic alkalosis. In tubules perfused with 40 mM bicarbonate, net bicarbonate absorption was inhibited and normal flow dependence was attenuated during alkalosis, compared with values in normal tubules perfused with 40 or even 25 mM bicarbonate concentrations. Under all conditions, bicarbonate back leak was small and contributed little to alterations in net bicarbonate transport, even though bicarbonate permeability was reduced by approximately 75% during chronic metabolic alkalosis and was flow dependent. Suppression of net bicarbonate absorption during chronic metabolic alkalosis was instead attributable to inhibition of proton secretion as a function of both luminal bicarbonate concentration and flow rate. At the highest level of bicarbonate delivery to yield maximal acidification rates, proton secretion during alkalosis was diminished by 38% (from 216 +/- 15 to 133 +/- 10 peq X mm-1 X min-1, P less than 0.001). In conclusion, despite extracellular volume contraction, potassium deficiency, and reduction in bicarbonate permeability during chronic metabolic alkalosis, net bicarbonate absorption in the late proximal convoluted tubule is depressed as a function of luminal bicarbonate concentration and flow rate because acidification is inhibited by hyperbicarbonatemia/alkalemia.