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Urine-concentrating ability in the aging kidney
1Renal Division, Department of Medicine and Physiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. jsands@emory.edu
Science of Aging Knowledge Environment : SAGE KE
|July 8, 2003
Summary
Aging kidneys lose their ability to concentrate urine due to molecular changes. This perspective explores recent experiments investigating these age-related kidney function declines.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Gerontology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Urine-concentrating ability diminishes in aging mammalian kidneys.
- Kidney function alterations with aging contribute to reduced urine concentration.
- Cloning of key genes involved in urine concentration (water/solute transporters, vasopressin receptor) is recent.
Purpose of the Study:
- To discuss molecular mechanisms underlying age-related decline in kidney urine-concentrating ability.
- To review recent experimental findings on kidney function changes in aging mammals.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent experimental studies.
- Characterization of molecular changes in aging kidney function.
Main Results:
- Aging affects genes and proteins crucial for urine concentration.
- Molecular mechanisms for reduced urine concentration in aging mammals are becoming decipherable.
Conclusions:
- Understanding molecular changes is key to deciphering age-related kidney dysfunction.
- Recent research provides insights into the molecular basis of impaired urine concentration in aging kidneys.