Function and morphometric evaluation of intrauterine undernutrition on kidney development of the progeny

ABSTRACT

Renal function and renal morphometry of the progeny of rats submitted to 50% dietary restriction (pairfed with control group) throughout pregnancy (Rtgroup), during the first half of pregnancy (R1 group) or during the second half of pregnancy (R2 group) were studied 3 months after birth. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and renal plasma flow (RPF) decrease significantly in all groups when compared to control (C) (GFR, 4.44 ñ 0.12, 4.04 ñ 0.18, and 4.00 ñ 0.16 vs 6.87 ñ 0.17, and RPF, 19.06 ñ0.57, 17.00 ñ 1.14, and 13.31 ñ0.50 vs 22.57 ñ 0.67, respectively). Urinary osmolality tended to be lower in the R2 and Rt groups (887.1 ñ 42.36 and 868.0 ñ 42.36 vs 975.1 ñ 38.31 in C), and the net acid excretion calculated per ml of GFR was either maintained or stimulated (R1 group). A significant decline in the number of glomeruli occurred in R1, R2 and Rt rats (79.84 ñ 2.08, 62.30 ñ 2.07, and 58.16 ñ 2.32 vs 99.77 ñ 2.28 in C repectively). The results show that intrauterine undernutrition actually caused a deleterious effect on the number of functional nephrons