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Characterization of growth, glomerular number, and tubular proteins in the developing rhesus monkey kidney

Cynthia A Batchelder1, Jennifer L Keyser, C Chang I Lee

  • 1California National Primate Research Center.

Anatomical Record (Hoboken, N.J. : 2007)
|September 3, 2013
PubMed

Insights

This study quantifies normal kidney development in rhesus monkeys, revealing a linear increase in glomeruli number with kidney weight. These findings support nonhuman primates as a valuable model for human kidney development and regenerative therapies.

Area of Science:

  • Nephrology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Translational Medicine

Background:

  • Cell-based therapies for kidney repair require preclinical data in relevant animal models.
  • Limited quantitative data on normal kidney development hinders the development of effective regenerative protocols for pediatric congenital kidney disease.
  • Nonhuman primates offer a translational model due to developmental similarities with humans, aiding understanding of nephrogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantitatively assess normal kidney ontogeny in developing rhesus monkeys.
  • To provide data on kidney size, weight, and glomerular number during gestation.
  • To characterize the expression patterns of key tubular proteins during kidney development.

Main Methods:

  • Stereological methods were used to quantitate the total number of glomeruli in developing monkey kidneys.
  • Kidney size and weight were measured throughout gestation.
  • Immunohistochemistry was employed to identify the expression of Aquaporin-1 (AQP1), AQP2, Calbindin, E-Cadherin, and Uromodulin in kidney tubules.

Main Results:

  • Glomerular number increased linearly with kidney weight, from 1.1 × 10^3 in the first trimester to 3.5 × 10^5 near term.
  • The glomeruli-to-body weight ratio tripled from the late first to early second trimester and then stabilized.
  • Specific tubular protein expression patterns were identified: AQP1 in proximal tubules/descending Loop of Henle; AQP2, Calbindin, Uromodulin in ascending Loop of Henle; Calbindin in distal convoluted tubules; AQP2, E-Cadherin, and occasional Calbindin in collecting tubules.

Conclusions:

  • This study provides crucial quantitative data on normal kidney development in rhesus monkeys.
  • The findings support the use of rhesus monkeys as a valuable translational model for studying human kidney development and regenerative medicine.
  • Understanding normal kidney ontogeny is essential for developing effective cell-based therapies for kidney repair.
Keywords:
fetuskidneymonkeynephrogenesisstereology

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