|
|
||||||||
INNOVATIVE METHODOLOGY
Departments of 1Pediatric Nephrology and 3Pediatric Endocrinology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; and 2Stereology and Electron Microscopy Research Laboratory and MIND Center, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark
Submitted 8 May 2006 ; accepted in final form 11 June 2006
A low nephron endowment may be associated with hypertension. Nephrogenesis is the process that leads to the formation of nephrons until week 36 of gestation in humans and may be inhibited by many factors like intrauterine growth restriction and premature birth. To study the consequences of a low glomerular number, animal models have been developed. We describe a model of postnatal food restriction in the rat in which litter size is increased to 20 pups, which leads to growth restriction. In the rat, active nephrogenesis continues until postnatal day 8, which coincides with the growth restriction in our model. Design-based stereological methods were used to estimate glomerular number and volume. Our results show an
25% lower glomerular number in rats after postnatal food restriction (30,800 glomeruli/kidney) compared with control rats (39,600 glomeruli/kidney, P < 0.001). Mean glomerular volume was increased by 35% in the growth-restricted rats (P = 0.006). There was a significant negative correlation between glomerular volume and glomerular number (r = 0.76, P < 0.001). We conclude that postnatal food restriction in the rat leads to a low nephron endowment with compensatory enlargement. It is therefore a suitable model to study the effect of intrauterine growth restriction or prematurity on kidney development and the consequences of a reduced glomerular number in later life.
nephrogenesis; glomerular number; growth restriction; stereology
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
B. J. McNamara, B. Diouf, M. D. Hughson, R. N. Douglas-Denton, W. E. Hoy, and J. F. Bertram Renal pathology, glomerular number and volume in a West African urban community Nephrol. Dial. Transplant., August 1, 2008; 23(8): 2576 - 2585. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
K. A. Griffin, H. Kramer, and A. K. Bidani Adverse renal consequences of obesity Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, April 1, 2008; 294(4): F685 - F696. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
F. Salazar, V. Reverte, F. Saez, A. Loria, M. T. Llinas, and F. J. Salazar Age- and Sodium-Sensitive Hypertension and Sex-Dependent Renal Changes in Rats With a Reduced Nephron Number Hypertension, April 1, 2008; 51(4): 1184 - 1189. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. F. Schreuder Combined nephroprotective effect and low nephron endowment as a consequence of postnatal growth restriction in the rat? Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, January 1, 2008; 294(1): R276 - R276. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. A. Joles, J. L. Tarry-Adkins, S. Snoeijs, D. M. van der Giezen, R. Goldschmeding, and S. E. Ozanne Reply to: Schreuder Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, January 1, 2008; 294(1): R277 - R278. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
F. Boubred, C. Buffat, J.-M. Feuerstein, L. Daniel, M. Tsimaratos, C. Oliver, M. Lelievre-Pegorier, and U. Simeoni Effects of early postnatal hypernutrition on nephron number and long-term renal function and structure in rats Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, December 1, 2007; 293(6): F1944 - F1949. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. F. Schreuder Unravelling perinatal programming of the kidney Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, November 1, 2007; 293(5): R2159 - R2159. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. P. Bagby Developmental Hypertension, Nephrogenesis, and Mother's Milk: Programming the Neonate J. Am. Soc. Nephrol., June 1, 2007; 18(6): 1626 - 1629. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
| Visit Other APS Journals Online |