The effect of parathyroid hormone on bicarbonate absorption was tested in rabbit proximal renal tubules perfused in vitro. In proximal straight tubules 0.05 U/ml of parathyroid hormone caused a large and reversible increase in the steady-state bicarbonate concentration in tubule fluid. Further, the rates of bicarbonate and fluid absorption (measured at faster flow rates) were inhibited approximately 50% by the hormone. We conclude that parathyroid hormone directly inhibits fluid and bicarbonate absorption by proximal straight tubules, causing an increase in the bicarbonate concentration in the tubule fluid, and we suggest that this action of the hormone contributes to the increase in renal bicarbonate excretion that is generally caused by the hormone. In proximal convoluted tubules, parathyroid hormone was previously demonstrated by other investigators to inhibit fluid and bicarbonate absorption approximately proportionally, so that there was little or no change in the bicarbonate concentration in tubule fluid. In agreement we found in the present studies that 0.05 U/ml of the hormone did not affect the steady-state bicarbonate concentration in proximal convoluted tubule fluid and that 5 U/ml caused only an equivocal increase in tubule fluid bicarbonate concentration.