Diuretic drugs were used to characterize mechanisms involved in transporting sodium, chloride, and potassium across the wall of surface distal tubules of the rat kidney using in vivo microperfusion techniques. Both furosemide and chlorothiazide inhibited sodium and chloride absorption but did not affect the rate of potassium secretion or the transepithelial voltage. However, chlorothiazide inhibited sodium and chloride absorption more completely than furosemide and was additive to the effect of furosemide; furosemide was ineffective if chlorothiazide was already present. In contrast to the effect of furosemide, bumetanide did not affect sodium and chloride absorption but did increase potassium secretion. Amiloride reduced sodium absorption and potassium secretion without affecting net chloride absorption. These effects were additive to those of chlorothiazide. In the loop of Henle bumetanide was more effective than furosemide in inhibiting net sodium potassium and chloride absorption. It appears that cells of the distal tubule in the rat possess an Na-Cl cotransport mechanism that differs from the Na-K-2Cl cotransport mechanism found in the thick ascending limb. Sodium transport also proceeds via a conductive pathway that is inhibited by amiloride. The two modes of sodium transport, conductive and coupled to chloride, may occur in different cell types along the distal tubule.