Marked species and sex differences have been observed in the nephrotoxicity to the cephalosporin antibiotic cephaloridine (CPH). Preliminary studies have also indicated significant strain differences in mice to CPH nephrotoxicity. To investigate these findings further, male and female C57BL, BALB/c, CD-1, CFW, CBA/J, and DBA/2 mice were given either 4000 or 6000 mg/kg of CPH, sc. Renal function was assessed 48 hr later by the ability of renal cortical slices to accumulate the organic ions p-aminohippurate (PAH) and tetraethylammonium (TEA), changes in blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and kidney-to-body wt ratios. CPH produced dose-dependent nephrotoxicity in C57BL female mice. After 6000 mg/kg, PAH and TEA slice-to-medium (S/M) ratios were reduced by 70 and 49%, respectively; BUN was elevated 10-fold. The same dose given to CFW females had no effect. BALB/c, CD-1, CBA/J, and DBA/2 females showed intermediate signs of toxicity. Male mice of all strains tested exhibited no nephrotoxicity. CPH nephrotoxicity has been correlated with the concentration of CPH within the tubular cell; and C57BL female mice had relatively greater intracellular accumulation of CPH than C57BL male mice and CFW female mice in vitro and in vivo. Thus, differences in net renal cortical accumulation of CPH suggest possible differences in transport, binding, and/or metabolism of CPH may exist among strains and between sexes of mice.