Electron microscopy of the juxtaglomerular apparatus in young fowl fed a salt deficient diet.
Kidneys from young fowl fed a salt deficient diet for up to five weeks were examined under the electron microscope. The presence of maculae densae (MD) were confirmed and the concentrations of nuclei in the MD and the remainder of the distal convoluted tubules were compared. In the proximal convoluted tubules, salt deprivation caused mitochondrial changes, an increase in intranuclear and cytoplasmic lipid and the deposition of urates. Regional thickening of the glomerular basement membrane was observed in many kidneys. In the normal kidney, there is an age dependent increase in the juxtaglomerular granules in the cortical glomeruli (P less than 0.02), but not in the juxtamedullary glomeruli. In salt deprived birds, juxtaglomerular granules were increased in the juxtamedullary glomeruli (P less than 0.01) but not in the cortical glomeruli. Salt deprivation also caused a significant reduction in bodyweight after five weeks (P less than 0.002) and increases in heterophil (P less than 0.02) and monocyte (P less than 0.05) counts in the blood.
D000818:Animals; D004039:Diet, Sodium-Restricted; D005260:Female; D007606:Juxtaglomerular Apparatus / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D007686:Kidney Tubules, Distal / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007687:Kidney Tubules, Proximal / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011200:Poultry / Q000033:anatomy & histology*