Ontogeny of cell type-specific enzyme reactivities in kidney collecting ducts

Highly specific antibodies against vital enzymes of the collecting ducts were used to study the appearance of cell type specific enzyme profiles in developing rat kidneys. (Na+K)-ATPase, the abundant enzyme of principal cells, could be detected early in utero in most collecting duct cells. However, the characteristic basolateral polarization of this enzyme did not appear until the first hours after birth. After this, the relative amount of (Na+K)-ATPase immunoreactive cells along collecting ducts decreased steadily, to reach the amount found in adult rat kidneys by the 30th postnatal day. Carbonic anhydrase immunoreactivity characteristic for intercalated cells was not detectable in fetal kidneys, but appeared soon after birth, with steadily increasing numbers of cells that were positive. Interestingly, immunoreactive band 3 glycoprotein (anion channel protein of erythrocytes) did not appear until the 5th day of life, with only a slowly increasing number of cells positive for this probe. These results, showing the sequential appearance of cell type-specific enzyme reactivities along collecting ducts, likely reflect a similar pattern of functional development of the respective main cell types. These results may provide an explanation for physiologic neonatal acidosis, as the enzyme profile associated with proton secretion was seen to appear slowly during the first weeks of life in a distinct manner.