Ontogeny of the renal response to natriuretic peptide in sheep

The ontogeny of the renal response to continuous systemic infusion of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) was studied in chronically instrumented fetal, newborn, and adult nonpregnant sheep. Plasma immunoreactive ANP (ANPir) concentrations during low (0.025 microgram.kg-1.min-1) and high rate (0.1 microgram.kg-1.min-1) ANP infusion were similar between each group of animals. Decrease in renal blood flow velocity (RBFV) and rise in renal vascular resistance (RVR) were observed in fetal and newborn lambs during ANP infusion. The percent changes in RBFV and RVR were of significantly (P less than 0.05) greater magnitude during high ANP infusion rate in fetuses (-28.5 +/- 8.5 and 93 +/- 6.4%) than in adult sheep (-6.6 +/- 3.2 and -4.4 +/- 4.9%). ANP produced no changes in urine flow (V) in fetuses but increased V significantly in newborn lambs and adult sheep. Glomerular filtration rate increased significantly during ANP infusion in adult sheep but not in fetal and newborn lambs. Percentage changes in urinary excretion rate of Na (UNaV) during high ANP infusion rate were significantly higher in adult sheep (3,520 +/- 2,414%) than in newborn (157 +/- 106%) and fetal lambs (198 +/- 84%). These results suggest that the cardiovascular, renal hemodynamic, and possibly renal function responses to continuous ANP infusion increase during maturation, the overall response being larger in adult animals.