We evaluated the ability of canine isolated nonperfused lung lobes to absorb fluid from their air spaces by simultaneously measuring alveolar liquid clearance (ALC) in three lobes removed from the same dog. Autologous plasma was instilled in the air spaces of each lobe, and the increase in plasma protein concentration resulting from fluid reabsorption was used to calculate ALC. ALC after 4 h was 16.5 +/- 0.6% (SE) of the instilled fluid volume under baseline conditions and was 30.2 +/- 1.3% after terbutaline (10(-5) M) administration. These values were similar to those previously reported for intact dogs. Propranolol (10(-4) M) and ouabain (10(-3) M) reduced ALC in terbutaline-stimulated lobes to 20.4 +/- 0.8 and 3.9 +/- 1.4%, respectively. There was no significant difference in ALC among the three lobes under either baseline conditions or after terbutaline administration. These data indicate that the sodium and water transport mechanisms of the canine alveolar epithelium remain viable during 4 h of nonperfusion and that there are no intrinsic differences in the transport properties of individual lung lobes. The ability to study several lobes simultaneously without the need for perfusion will allow for the design of experiments in which multiple interventions can be studied by using lung lobes from the same animal.