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Modeling Glucose Metabolism in the Kidney

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Abstract

The mammalian kidney consumes a large amount of energy to support the reabsorptive work it needs to excrete metabolic wastes and to maintain homeostasis. Part of that energy is supplied via the metabolism of glucose. To gain insights into the transport and metabolic processes in the kidney, we have developed a detailed model of the renal medulla of the rat kidney. The model represents water and solute flows, transmural fluxes, and biochemical reactions in the luminal fluid of the nephrons and vessels. In particular, the model simulates the metabolism of oxygen and glucose. Using that model, we have identified parameters concerning glucose transport and basal metabolism that yield predicted blood glucose concentrations that are consistent with experimental measurements. The model predicts substantial axial gradients in blood glucose levels along various medullary structures. Furthermore, the model predicts that in the inner medulla, owing to the relatively limited blood flow and low tissue oxygen tension, anaerobic metabolism of glucose dominates.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by the National Science Foundation through Grant DMS-1263995 and the National Institutes of Health through Grants DK089066 and DK106102 to A. Layton.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mathematics, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA

    Ying Chen & Anita T. Layton

  2. Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences, Metropolitan State University of Denver, Denver, CO, USA

    Brendan C. Fry

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  1. Ying Chen
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  2. Brendan C. Fry
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  3. Anita T. Layton
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Correspondence to Anita T. Layton.

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Chen, Y., Fry, B.C. & Layton, A.T. Modeling Glucose Metabolism in the Kidney. Bull Math Biol 78, 1318–1336 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11538-016-0188-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11538-016-0188-7

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