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Nascent nephrons during human embryonic development: Spatial distribution and relationship with urinary collecting
Haruka Kitazawa1, Sena Fujii1, Hana Ishiyama1
1Human Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
Journal of Anatomy
|September 5, 2020
Summary
This study reveals how nascent nephrons (developing kidney structures) attach to the urinary collecting system (UCS) during human embryonic development. Nascent nephrons preferentially attach to specific UCS branches, influencing kidney development and structure.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Nephrology
- Human Embryogenesis
Background:
- The metanephros, the developing kidney, comprises the urinary collecting system (UCS) and nephrons, which have distinct developmental trajectories.
- Nephron number, critical for kidney function, is established during fetal development and varies significantly.
- The interaction between developing nephrons and the UCS may influence the expansion of the UCS's proximal regions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the spatial distribution of nascent nephrons and their relationship with urinary collecting system branches during human embryogenesis.
- To analyze the attachment patterns and developmental interactions between nascent nephrons and the UCS.
Main Methods:
- Utilized histological sections from 31 human embryos (Carnegie stages 19-23).
- Employed digital reconstruction and computational analysis to create 3D models of the metanephros and UCS.
- Quantitatively analyzed the positions of UCS branching points, end points, and nascent nephron attachment points (APs) relative to renal corpuscles (RCs).
Main Results:
- Urinary collecting system branching continued until renal corpuscle (RC) appearance (CS19).
- Nascent nephrons attached to end branches (EB-AP[+]) were observed after CS19, with RC numbers increasing to ~274 by CS23.
- 3D reconstructions showed RCs distributed near end branches, while connected RCs were deeper; nascent nephrons preferentially attached to specific end branches at later stages (CS22-23).
Conclusions:
- Nascent nephron attachment influences urinary collecting system branching, with lateral branching occurring beneath attachment points.
- The ratio of even branching patterns with attached nascent nephrons increased significantly with embryonic stage.
- This study provides crucial insights into the interplay between the UCS and nascent nephrons during human kidney development.
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