• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.460-467
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• 2001

Heavy metals, such as Al, As, Cd, Cr Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se, Si, Sn, V and Zn, were analysed on kidney cortex and medulla of Korean obtained from 154 forensic medical autopsy cadavers. Heavy metals were analysed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry In kidney cortex, the concentrations of Al, Cd, Cu, Mn, Mo, Pb, Se, Si and Zn were significantly higher than in the kidney medulla (Cd, Cu, Mn, Mo, Zn : p<0.01, AA, Pb, Se, Si : p<0.05). No significant local differences were found between kidney cortex and kidney medulla in the concentrations of As, Cr Fe, Hg, Ni, Sn and V. In kidney cortex and kidney medulla, Cd concentrations correlated positively with age, but Mn concentrations correlated negatively with age. A significantly positive correlation between Cd and Zn, Cd and Cu, Zn and Cu, Al and Si, Se and As was found in kidney cortex and kidney medulla. A significantly positive correlation between Hg and Se was only observed in kidney cortex. These results indicate that the distribution of hazardous heavy metals is similar to that of essential elements in the tissues.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.21-27
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• 2002

In order to study the relationships between trace element concentrations of hair and internal organs, autopsy samples of hair, liver, kidney cortex, kidney medulla, heart, lung, spleen, cerebrum, testis and bone from 162 Korean subjects were analyzed for Cd, Hg, Pb and Zn by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. High significant positive correlations were found between the Cd concentration in hair and bone and Pb in hair and lung. Hair Hg levels were highly significantly correlated with organ Hg levels in the liver, kidney cortex, kidney medulla, heart, lung, spleen, cerebrum, testis and bone. And hair Zn levels were highly significantly correlated with organ Zn levels in the kidney cortex, kidney medulla, spleen, testis and bone.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.58.1-58.11
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• 2020

Background: Quantitative evaluation of renal cortical echogenicity (RCE) has been tried and developed in human and veterinary medicine. Objectives: The objective of this study was to propose a method for evaluating RCE quantitatively and intuitively, and to determine associations between ultrasonographic renal structural distinction and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in canine chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods: Data were collected on 63 dogs, including 27 with normal kidney function and 36 CKD patients. Symmetric dimethylarginine and creatinine concentrations were measured for calculating eGFR. RCE was evaluated as 3 grades on ultrasonography images according to the distinction between the renal cortex and outer medulla. The RCE grade of each kidney was measured. Results: There was a significant difference in eGFR between the group normal and CKD (p < 0.001). As mean of RCE grades (the mean values of each right and left kidney's RCE grade) increases, the proportion of group CKD among the patients in each grade increases (p < 0.001). Also, severity of RCE (classified as "high" if any right or left kidney evaluated as RCE grade 3, "low" otherwise) and eGFR is good indicator for predicting group CKD (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The degree of distinction between the renal cortex and the outer medulla is closely related to renal function including eGFR and the RCE grade defined in this study can be used as a method of objectively evaluating RCE.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.131-135
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• 1994

The effect of ginsenoside (GS) from Panax ginseng on basal and nitro-L-arginine suppressed nitric oxide (NO) production was studied in rat kidney. NO production was determined by conversion to [$^{14C}$]=L-citrulline from [$^{14C}$]-L-arginine both in whole kidney and three renal segments; glomerulus, cortex excluding glomerulus (cortex-) and medulla. Nitro-L-arginine (total dose of 30 mg/kg/3 days, i.p.) significantly reduced NO production in whole kidney, which was prevented by GS pretreatment (30 mg/kg/3 days, i.p.). Relative high dose of GS (120 mg/kg/4 days, i.p..) selectively increased NO production in glomerulus and cortex-. Protein content, on wet weight basis, in cortex- and glomerular DNA content were significantly reduced by GS. Our results confirm the existence of constitutive nitric oxide synthase in kidney and it seems that target nephron segment for volume expansion due to GS'NO-mediated vasodilation and for NO production stimulated by GS is cortex including glomerulus.lus.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.208-212
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• 2017

This study was performed to retrospectively pursue any correlation between renal cortex thickness (RCT), outer medulla thickness (OMT) on ultrasonography (US) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) with International Renal Interest Society (IRIS) stage. Medical records and US findings of the dogs diagnosed CKD were reviewed for comparing to those of the clinically healthy dogs from March. 2015 through June. 2016. To evaluate the correlation about normal and CKD patients, RCT and the OMT were measured on US images. RCT and OMT were adjusted by dividing body surface area for standardization (RCTS, OMTS). Also the ratio of RCT/OMT were calculated and these indices were evaluated to investigate any tendency between 5 groups (normal and 4 IRIS stages) using Jonckheere-Terpstra trend test (J-T test). The RCTS showed a declining tendency (p < 0.02) and the OMTS showed an inclining tendency from normal through each IRIS stage (p < 0.01). The RCT/OMT showed also declining tendency (p < 0.01). Although the gold standard for renal function including GFR is lack, it is thought that differentiation between normal and CKD patients could be possible on US measurement of renal cortex and outer medulla thickness, which could be an alternative index for kidney function in diagnostic imaging.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.152-160
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• 2007

Twenty-six renal allograft biopsies which showed acute rejection and had renal capsule and medulla in the same specimen were selected in order to compare the severity of acute rejection between superficial cortex, deep cortex and medulla. Disregarding the mid cortical region, the superficial cortex was considered as being one-third of the distance from the renal capsule to the medulla and the deep cortex as being that one-third of the cortex which was adjacent to the medulla. Using semiquantitative histologic analysis the following parameters were compared in superficial cortex, deep cortex, and medulla: interstitial inflammation, edema, tubulitis, and acute tubulointerstitial rejection grade. Also, the presence of lymphocyte activation and polymorphonuclear leukocytes was evaluated. Significantly greater histologic changes of acute rejection were found in the deep cortex vs. supeficial cortex for the following parameters: interstitial inflammation(P=0.013), edema (P=0.023) and tubulointerstitial rejection grade(P=0.016). These findings support the view that biopsies in which deep cortex is not included may result in underestimation of the severity of renal allograft rejection.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2005

The production of concentrated urine is achieved by countercurrent multiplication in the renal medulla. The single effect of the outer medulla is the active NaCl reabsorption in the thick ascending limb, while the single effect of the inner medulla is the passive efflux of NaCl through the thin ascending limb. The passive mechanism in the inner medulla requires a high interstitial urea concentration which is maintained by intrarenal recycling of urea. During the past decade, many transport proteins involved in the urine concentrating mechanism have been cloned, which has enabled us to understand the countercurrent multiplication mechanism on a molecular basis. This review will summarize the locations and functions of the renal medullary transport proteins, and the recent insights that have been acquired into the long term regulation of urea transporters.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.307-313
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• 2001

Whether there exists a sympathetic neural mechanism regulating the expression of aquaporin (AQP) water channels in the kidney was investigated. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with reserpine (1 mg/kg, IP), and the expression of AQP1-4 proteins was determined in the kidney one day thereafter. Following the treatment with reserpine, the systolic blood pressure measured in a conscious state was significantly decreased in the experimental group compared with that in the control $(83{\pm}8\;vs\;124{\pm}6\;mmHg;\;n=6\;each,\;P＜0.05)$. The expression of AQP2 proteins was decreased in the cortex, outer medulla, and inner medulla. The decrease of AQP2 proteins was in parallel in the membrane and the cytoplasmic fractions, suggesting a preserved AQP2 targeting. No significant changes were observed in the expression of AQP1, AQP3, or AQP4. Neither basal nor AVP-stimulated formation of cAMP was significantly altered. These results suggest that the sympathetic nervous system has a tonic stimulatory effect specifically on the expression of AQP2 water channels in the kidney.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.271-280
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• 2007

Tonicity-responsive enhancer binding protein(TonEBP) is a transcriptional factor essential in the function and development of the renal medulla. TonEBP plays a critical role in protecting renal medullary cells from the deleterious effect of hypertonicity. TonEBP is a key regulator of urinary concentration via stimulation of transcription of urea transporter(UT) in a manner independent of vasopressin. UT in the renal inner medulla is important for the conservation of body water due to its role in the urine concentrating mechanism. Mongolian gerbil(Meriones unguiculatus) has been as an model animal for studying the neurological disease such as stroke and epilepsy because of the congenital incomplete in Willis circle, as well as the investigation of water metabolism because of the long time-survival in the condition of water-deprived desert condition, compared with other species animal. In this study, we divide 3 groups of which each group include the 5 animals. In the study of 7 or 14 days water restricted condition, we investigated the TonEBP and UT-A by using a immunohistochemistry in the kidney. In the normal kidney, the distribution of TonEBP is generally localized on nuclei of inner medullary cells. Nuclear distribution of TonEBP is generally increased throughout the medulla in 7 and 14 days dehydrated group compared with control group. Increased nuclear localization was particularly dramatic in thin limbs. In control groups, UT-A was expressed in inner stripe of outer medulla(ISOM) and inner medulla(IM). UT-A was present in the terminal part of the short-loop of descending thin limbs (DTL) in ISOM and also present in the inner medullary collecting duct(IMCD), where the intensity of it gradually increased toward the papillary tip. In the dehydrated kidney, UT-A immunoreactivity was increased in the short-loop of DTL in ISOM and in the long-loop of DTL in the initial part of IM, where was expressed moderate positive reaction in the normal kidney. Also it was up regulated in the IMCD in initial & middle part of IM. However UT-A down regulated in the IMCD, where the intensity of it gradually decreased toward the papillary tip. These findings suggest that increased levels of TonEBP in medulla and UT-A in shot-loop of DTL and IMCD play a important role for maintain fluid balance in the water-deprived mongolian gerbil kidney.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.167-174
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• 2007

Heat shock protein (HSP) 70 functions as a molecular chaperon and reduces stress-induced denaturation and aggregation of intracellular proteins. Erythropoietin (EPO) plays an important role during acute renal failure repair process by rapidly correcting anemia and enhancing renal tubular regeneration. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of EPO treatment on renal HSP70 expression. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected rHUEPO. Kidney were preserved by in vivo perfusion with paraformaldehyde-lysine-periodate (PLP) and processed for immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. In control kidney, HSP70 was expressed in the cortex, outer medulla and inner medulla. Especially, HSP immunoreactiviy was mainly founded in descending thin limb of outer medulla and inner medullary collecting duct. In EPO treated kidney, HSP70 expression markedly increased in the descending thin limb of outer medulla and newly detected in cortical collecting duct. Electron microscopy showed the presence of HSP immunoreactivity on the intracelluar vesicles and Golgi complex of descending thin limb and cortical collecting duct. These findings suggest that EPO treatment leads to new production of HSP70 in renal tubular cells, and induction of HSP70 by rHuEPO is causally related to protective function.