Summary
Tissue from three regions of the kidneys of foetal, newborn and mature pigs, sheep and cows was excissed and the intrarenal gradients for sodium, potassium and urea were measured. Gradients were slight in pig and calf foetuses. Sheep foetuses showed a steep intra-renal gradient for sodium which did not change in early post-natal life. The gradient for sodium and urea increased in all species after birth but there were species differences in the rate of increase. In newborn and weaned pigs administration of sodium chloride or urea did not affect the intra-renal gradient for either substance; both acted as osmotic diuretics. Injection of lysinevasopressin increased urinary osmolarity but without change in the intra-renal gradient. It is suggested that maturation of renal concentrating ability runs parallel with the development of the intra-renal solute gradient.
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Part of this work was reported at the 2nd International Symposium of Pediatric Nephrology, Paris, August 1971.
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Stanier, M.W. Development of intra-renal solute gradients in foetal and post-natal life. Pflugers Arch. 336, 263–270 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00590050
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00590050