With dietary phosphate (Pi) restriction, fluidity of renal proximal tubule brush-border membranes (BBM) and Na-dependent Pi transport (Na-Pi) are increased, suggesting that changes in BBM fluidity are critical for adaptation to Pi restriction. To test this hypothesis, the temporal relationship between Na-Pi transport and changes in BBM fluidity was assessed after Pi deprivation in rats. Renal cortex was obtained from rats fed either a 0.03% (-P) or a 0.6% (+P) Pi diet for 4 h or 7 days, and BBM were prepared. Na-Pi uptake by BBM was measured by use of rapid filtration, and BBM fluidity was assessed by use of the fluorescent probe 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH). After 4 h on the diets, Na-Pi uptake was 439 +/- 142 (SD) and 984 +/- 184 pmol.mg protein-1.5 s-1 in +P and -P, respectively (P less than 0.01, n, = 8). Na-dependent proline uptake was unchanged. DPH anisotropy and total cholesterol were similar between groups: 0.204 +/- 0.025 and 0.401 +/- 0.047 nmol/mg protein, respectively, in +P and 0.205 +/- 0.015 and 0.392 +/- 0.037 in -P (P greater than 0.05, n = 8-10). After 7 days, Na-Pi uptake was 841 +/- 291 in +P and 2,168 +/- 848 pmol.mg protein-1.5 s-1 in -P, P less than 0.01, n = 8. DPH anisotropy and BBM cholesterol were 0.175 +/- 0.019 and 443 +/- 132 nmol/mg protein, respectively, in +P and 0.162 +/- 0.020 (n = 8) and 341 +/- 128 (n = 3) in -P (P less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)