title: Vanadium: chemistry and the kidney.
abstract: Vanadium (V), a metallic element of the first transition series, is widely distributed in the environment. Although an essential trace element in higher animals, chronic exposure to V is of concern because of its increased concentration near industrial operations, its occurrence in the ash of combustion products of petroleum and coal, and its subsequent biomagnification in the environment. V is found in trace amounts in both terrestrial and aquatic animals and in solution can form inorganic orthovanadate oxyanions that, if absorbed, are eliminated primarily by the kidneys. Because V is often found concentrated in renal tissue to the largest extent in the body, the kidneys may represent a major site of action. Moreover, V in the vanadate configuration increases the urinary excretion of solutes and water in the rat, and inhibits renal organic ion accumulation and renal Na+, K+-ATPase in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, as a nutritionally required element, V may play a regulatory role in salt and water excretion by modification of the Na+ pump in the kidney.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D004231:Diuresis / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects*; D008024:Ligands; D009318:Natriuresis / Q000187:drug effects; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014638:Vanadates; D014639:Vanadium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands; D014639:Vanadium; D014638:Vanadates; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase