This experiment was carried out to investigate systematically how the aerobic metabolic capacity of renal tissue reduced by the effects of a period of induced ischemia. Aerobic metabolic studies were performed on homogenates of cortex and medulla of rabbits. Ischemia was induced by occluding the renal vein or renal artery of the left kidney for an hour. The right kidney used as a paired control. Aerobic metabolism was asesssed by measuring the oxygen consumption using the Warburg s manometric apparatus. The results are summarized as follows: 1. One hour of occlusive ischemia does not increase in the kidney weight in the renal arterial occlusion but increase in the renal venous occlusion. 2. Occlusion of either the renal vein or renal artery for an hour did not reduce to any significant degree the level of endogenous substrate in cortical homogenates as measured the rates of 0₂ consumption. 3. A significant reduction in the rate of C₂ consumption was noted in the medullary homogenates of renal venous occluded kidneys while renal arterial occlusion had less of an effect. 4. The capaciy of homogenates for aerobic metabolism is not reduced by acute ischemia, because of the higher rate of oxygen consumption induced by exogenous glucose in renal vein occlusion. 5. The oxygen consumption of medullary homogenate more decreased to acute ischemia than cortical homogenates. The results of this investigation suggest that one hour circulatory stasis does not reduce major potential capacity of renal cortical tissue at the subcellular level to produce energy. In contrast, the aerobic metabolism of medullary tissue is reduced by renal ischemia. Further, both cortex and medulla appear to be more sensitive to ischemia induced by renal venous occlusion than by renal arterial occlusion.