The renal inner medulla is characterised by elevated extracellular concentrations of NaCl, urea, potassium and hydrogen ions, an environment that may affect cell viability negatively. High amounts of HSP72, a stress protein allowing cells to resist harmful situations, are also observed in this region. The present study examined HSP72 induction by various medullary stress factors, individually or in combination, in MDCK cells, a renal epithelial cell line expressing characteristics of the medullary collecting duct. MDCK cells were incubated for 3 days in media containing elevated concentrations of NaCl, urea, potassium and hydrogen ions individually or in combination. HSP72 mRNA and protein expression were determined by Northern and Western blot analyses, respectively. HSP72 expression was enhanced moderately by addition of 50 mM NaCl to normal medium at pH 7.4 but enhanced strongly when added at pH 6.5. The latter degree of HSP72 induction was comparable to that observed when 150 mM NaCl was added at pH 7.4. In normal medium (pH 7.4) containing 300 mM urea, MDCK HSP72 expression was not different from controls. In contrast, urea-induced HSP72 expression was clearly evident when medium pH was lowered to 6.5. Potassium at 20 or 40 mM induced HSP72 only slightly. These results indicate that expression of HSP72 in renal epithelial cells is regulated synergistically by NaCl, urea and pH. Since HSP72 is only slightly induced by increased potassium, this probably reflects the changes in medium osmolality rather than a specific effect of potassium. The high medullary HSP72 content observed even in diuresis may be due to co-operative effects of medullary solutes on HSP72 expression.