This study was performed to evaluate the nephron site(s) responsible for the blunted phosphaturic effect of parathyroid hormone during respiratory alkalosis. In normocapnic thyroparathyroidectomized rats, parathyroid hormone administration markedly increased the fractional excretion of phosphate (FEp) from 2.1 +/- 0.5 to 36.6 +/- 5.0%. However, in the respiratory alkalotic rats, parathyroid hormone administration did not significantly increase the FEp (1.4 +/- 0.9 to 5.9 +/- 2.2%). This blunted phosphaturic response to parathyroid hormone was not due to a blunted inhibition of phosphate reabsorption by the superficial proximal tubule, since parathyroid hormone administration significantly increased the fractional delivery of phosphate (FDp) at the superficial late proximal tubule in both normal (25.3 +/- 3.0 to 36.2 +/- 3.8%, delta 10.9 +/- 3.2%) and respiratory alkalotic rats (12.2 +/- 3.1 to 30.3 +/- 4.9%, delta 18.0 +/- 4.7%). Parathyroid hormone administration significantly increased the FDp at the superficial early distal tubule from 9.3 +/- 3.9 to 38.7 +/- 7.4% (delta 29.4 +/- 5.1%) in normal rats and from 4.5 +/- 1.7 to 12.9 +/- 3.4% (delta 8.5 +/- 3.2%) in the respiratory alkalotic rats. We conclude that the blunted phosphaturic response to parathyroid hormone in respiratory alkalotic rats is not due to a blunted inhibition of phosphate reabsorption by the proximal convoluted tubule but is primarily due to enhanced reabsorption by the pars recta segment of the proximal tubule.