In 110 canine kidneys, we examined the time course of energy rich phosphates, lactate, intrarenal ph and renal morphology with Euro-Collins- or with HTK-protection of Bretschneider and compared these findings with unprotected kidneys during complete ischemia at 1 degree C and at 25 degrees C. Both kidney protective solutions prolonged energy-rich phosphate-decline by a factor of 3-4 compared with that of unprotected kidneys. The lactate increase was greater in Euro-Collins-protected kidneys than in HTK-protected and in unprotected kidneys, leading to pH values of 6.5 in Euro-Collins and to 6.4 in unprotected kidneys after 24 hours, in contrast to a pH-value of 7.3 with HTK-protection. This may be the reason for structural deterioration seen in unprotected and in Euro-Collins-protected kidneys after 12, and 48 h of ischemia at 1 degree C, whereas in HTK-protected kidneys a sufficient preservation of structure can be seen. In one human kidney, protected with Euro-Collins-solution, we were able to show that at 1 degree C intrarenal pH and lactate accumulation is similar to the levels in canine kidneys. In Euro-Collins preserved kidneys lactate accumulation at 25 degrees C is even greater than at 1 degree C, leading to inhibition of energy metabolism and to structural deterioration, whereas HTK-solution, because of its high buffer concentration, is able to maintain ischemic metabolism leading to sufficient protection of intrarenal pH and of adenine nucleotides as well as structural protection at 1 degree C and at 25 degrees C.