The tubular transport of urate and sodium was examined by clearance, free-flow micropuncture, intratubular microinjection and precession techniques in control rats and in rats receiving a new uricosuric diuretic, indanyloxyacetic acid (MK-196). The i.v. infusion of MK-196 (50 mg/kg of body wt/hr) resulted in significant increases in the fractional excretion of sodium (FENa) from 0.98 +/- 0.01 to 11.86 +/- 2.88% (P less than 0.001) and in FEurate from 14.1 +/- 1.03 to 56.0 +/- 2.86% (P less than 0.001). End-proximal tubular fluid to plasma inulin (TF/Pinulin) ratios were 2.43 +/- 0.15 and 2.51 +/- 0.10 in control and drug-treated animals, respectively (P = NS). Total urinary urate recovery after MK-196 administration was higher following microinjections of [2-14C] urate into early proximal tubule sites: 70.5 +/- 2.7% in controls vs. 84.9 +/- 0.9 (P less than 0.001), and after microinjections into late proximal tubule sites: 82.8 +/- 2.9% vs. 91.3 +/- 1.9 (P less than 0.05). Urinary precession of urate from inulin was demonstrable following placement of isotopes of these compounds on the surface of the kidney in controls, but was abolished by MK-196. This agent, therefore, inhibits the reabsorption and secretion of urate in the proximal convoluted tubule, the net effect being a marked increase in urinary urate excretion. By contrast, its inhibitory effect on sodium reabsorption is exerted at a site or sites distal to the accessible portion of the proximal tubule. The demonstration of reduced urate reabsorption and normal sodium reabsorption in the proximal tubule suggests that the reabsorption of these constituents of the glomerular filtrate is not intimately linked at this nephron site.