Abstract
Subtotal nephrectomy in the rat is followed by glomerular hypertrophy, glomerulosclerosis, and, ultimately, renal failure. To gain more insight into this sequence, we have made a morphometric study of the glomerular changes following subtotal nephrectomy in the rat during the period of functional compensation before glomerulosclerosis appears. We found a twofold increase in glomerular volume as compared with controls 2 weeks after operation (to approximately 2 X 10(6) cu mu) followed by a linear increase to approximately 5 X 10(6) cu mu at 21 weeks. The rate of increase in glomerular volume in controls did not significantly exceed that of body weight. The volume increase after subtotal nephrectomy is a true hypertrophy, since other morphometric parameters expressed per unit glomerular volume (surface and length densities) were approximately 80% of control values at 2 weeks and constant thereafter. Glomerular hypertrophy up to 21 weeks is accompanied by a stable BUN and a gradually increasing proteinuria. We conclude that glomerular hypertrophy in this system is a pathologic rather than a compensatory process and suggest that it may represent a counter-productive response to hemodynamic changes serving to increase the glomerular filtration rate.
Full text
PDF









Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- GOSS R. J. RENAL AND ADRENAL RELATIONSHIPS IN COMPENSATORY HYPERPLASIA. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1965 Feb;118:342–346. doi: 10.3181/00379727-118-29837. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Kaufman J. M., DiMeola H. J., Siegel N. J., Lytton B., Kashgarian M., Hayslett J. P. Compensatory adaptation of structure and function following progressive renal ablation. Kidney Int. 1974 Jul;6(1):10–17. doi: 10.1038/ki.1974.72. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Lytton B., Schiff M., Jr, Bloom N. Compensatory renal growth: evidence for tissue specific factor of renal origin. J Urol. 1969 May;101(5):648–652. doi: 10.1016/s0022-5347(17)62395-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- MOLLENHAUER H. H. PLASTIC EMBEDDING MIXTURES FOR USE IN ELECTRON MICROSCOPY. Stain Technol. 1964 Mar;39:111–114. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- MORRISON A. B. Experimentally induced chronic renal insufficiency in the rat. Lab Invest. 1962 Apr;11:321–332. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Maunsbach A. B. The influence of different fixatives and fixation methods on the ultrastructure of rat kidney proximal tubule cells. I. Comparison of different perfusion fixation methods and of glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde and osmium tetroxide fixatives. J Ultrastruct Res. 1966 Jun;15(3):242–282. doi: 10.1016/s0022-5320(66)80109-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Morrison A. B., Howard R. M. The functional capacity of hypertrophied nephrons. Effect of partial nephrectomy on the clearance of inulin and PAH in the rat. J Exp Med. 1966 May 1;123(5):829–844. doi: 10.1084/jem.123.5.829. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Rodewald R., Karnovsky M. J. Porous substructure of the glomerular slit diaphragm in the rat and mouse. J Cell Biol. 1974 Feb;60(2):423–433. doi: 10.1083/jcb.60.2.423. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Shea S. M., Morrison A. B. A stereological study of the glomerular filter in the rat. Morphometry of the slit diaphragm and basement membrane. J Cell Biol. 1975 Nov;67(2PT1):436–443. doi: 10.1083/jcb.67.2.436. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Shimamura T., Morrison A. B. A progressive glomerulosclerosis occurring in partial five-sixths nephrectomized rats. Am J Pathol. 1975 Apr;79(1):95–106. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Vancura P., Miller W. L., Little J. W., Malt R. A. Contribution of glomerular and tubular RNA synthesis to compensatory renal growth. Am J Physiol. 1970 Jul;219(1):78–83. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1970.219.1.78. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]