Functional and morphologic patterns of renal maturation in the developing guinea pig

Clearance experiments were carried out in fetal, young, and adult pigs undergoing salt loading. Kidney sections were histologically examined and the proximal tubular length, glomerular volume, and number of glomeruli were estimated. Between days 48 and 55 of gestation, the significant increase in glomerular filtration rate was proportionately higher than the concentration increase in water, total solutes, and sodium reabsorption. During this period, neither the proximal tubular length nor the glomerular volume of the juxtamedullary nephrons changed significantly. The main morphologic change took place in the superficial cortex, where new glomeruli attached to very short tubules differentiated. From day 55 to birth, the increase in water, total solutes, and sodium filtered loads was proportionately smaller than the concomitant increase in tubular reabsorption. During this phase, the major morphologic change was the significant lengthening of the proximal tubules of the juxtamedullary and superficial nephrons. These findings suggest that for water, sodium, and total solutes the maturation of superficial nephrons is accompanied by a phase of functional glomerular preponderance. Despite the differentiation of the superficial nephrons, renal handling of normally filtered glucose did not change significantly. Functional glomerulotubular coupling for water, sodium, and total solutes took place soon after birth.