Unilateral renal agenesis in chick embryos: a model for chronic renal insufficiency

Although renal agenesis and dysgenesis are relatively common and significant birth defects, no animal model to date has been utilized to adequately study these developmental pathologies. Blockage of the migration of the mesonephric duct in Day 2 chick embryos results in unilateral renal agenesis (URA) on the operated side, thus providing a model of chronic renal insufficiency. Embryos with URA respond with an increase in the rate of growth of the remaining meso- and metanephric kidney. The allometric scaling of single (left) kidney weight to total body weight in control embryos is KM = 3.48M0.98 compared to KM = 3.02M1.16 in embryos with URA. In addition, embryos with URA exhibit a progressively polycystic mesonephros with distinct glomerulonephritis and expansion of the renal tubules. These renal changes are insufficient for normal urine (allantoic fluid) production and oliguria persists throughout incubation. While mortality is unaffected by URA in embryos up to Day 14 of incubation, there is a steady increase in mortality after Day 14; no chick embryo with URA lives beyond Day 18 of the 21-day incubation period.