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Studies on the juxtaglomerular apparatus

I. Perinatal development in the rat

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Summary

The perinatal development of the Juxtaglomerular apparatus (JGA), with particular reference to the epithelioid cells, was studied. Electron microscopic studies were carried out on 18 gravid rats and 65 embryos with corresponding determinations of renin concentration and the renin contents by bio-assay. Specific secretory granules of the epithelioid cells of the JGA of juxtamedullary nephrons are first observed on the 18th day of gestation. The classification into three types of secretory granules suggests that they undergo a structural and probably also a functional transformation. All three types of secretory granule may be regarded as specific, renin-containing, cytoplasmic organelles. During the last days of gestation, the rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus become hypertrophied in epithelioid cells, indicating an increased protein synthesis as well as transport and concentration processes. After birth, there is a definite increase in the number of Type III secretory granules-which may be regarded as mature granules. The small Type I secretory granulesnot previously described-are found more frequently in the immature epithelioid cells.

Determinations of the renin distribution in the plasma and in fractions of cytoplasmic constituents (total homogenate, secretory granules) prepared by differential centrifugation showed striking congruence with the morphological findings. It is generally assumed that “soluble renin” occurs in the endoplasmic reticulum and “bound renin” in secretory granules. A shift from extragranular to granular (bound) renin, occurs with increasing age, having its morphological equivalent in the relative decrease of the endoplasmic reticulum and increase in mature secretory granules.

Zusammenfassung

Die perinatale Entwicklung des juxtaglomerulären Apparates, insbesondere das Verhalten der epitheloiden Zellen wurde an 18 trächtigen Ratten and 65 Embryonen bzw. Jungtieren elektronenmikroskopisch untersucht. Parallel dazu wurde die Reninkonzentration bzw. der Reningehalt bestimmt. Spezifische Sekretgranula finden sich erstmals am 18. Tag der Fetalzeit, und zwar in den epitheloiden Zellen des juxtaglomerulären Apparates juxtamedullärer Nephrone. Die Granula machen einen Struktur- und wahrscheinlich auch Funktionswandel durch, der eine Einteilung in drei verschiedene Granulatypen nahelegt. Diesen drei Typen spezifischer (reninhaltiger) Sekretgranula werden die Lysosomen als unspezifische Einschlüsse der epitheloiden Zellen gegenübergestellt. Im einzelnen kommt es während der perinatalen Phase in den fetalen Epitheloidzellen zuerst, d.h. pränatal, zu einer Hypertrophie des rauhwandigen endoplasmatischen Retikulums und des Golgi-Apparates. Hierin sehen die Autoren einen Hinweis auf eine erhöhte Proteinsynthese mit entsprechender Zunahme der Transport- und Konzentrationsvorgänge. Nach der Geburt findet sich dann auch eine deutliche Zunahme der Sekretgranula vom Typ III, die als reife Reningranula (mature granules) angesehen werden. Die bisher noch nicht beschriebenen kleinen Sekretgranula vom Typ I dagegen kommen in weniger entwickelten Epitheloidzellen häufiger vor.

Bestimmungen der Reninverteilung zwischen Zytoplasma und den durch Differential-zentrifugation gewonnenen Granula-Fraktionen ergeben auffallende Parallelen zu den morphologischen Befunden. Diese sprechen im allgemeinen dafür, daß “freies Renin” im Ergasto-plasma und “gebundenes Renin” in den Sekretgranula vorliegt. Mit zunehmendem Alter scheint es außerdem — parallel zur relativen Abnahme des Ergastoplasmas und Zunahme der reifen Reningranula — zu einer Verminderung des extragranulären zugunsten des granulär gebundenen Renins zu kommen.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Heidelberg, Germany

    U. Brühl, R. Taugner & W. G. Forssmann

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  1. U. Brühl
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  2. R. Taugner
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  3. W. G. Forssmann
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Supported by the “Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft”, SFB 90 Carvas, Heidelberg, Germany.

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Brühl, U., Taugner, R. & Forssmann, W.G. Studies on the juxtaglomerular apparatus. Cell Tissue Res. 151, 433–456 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00222990

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