Estrogen receptors in the kidney: lessons from genetically altered mice.
BACKGROUND
Sex differences in human and animal models of kidney disease suggest that estrogen receptor (ER)-mediated events may modulate these processes. Genetically altered mice lacking one or both ERs provide a powerful tool to study these phenomena.


OBJECTIVE
This article examines sex differences in the kidney, particularly the role of ERs.


METHODS
To identify pertinent studies in genetically altered mice, a literature search was conducted on the MEDLINE database from January 1966 to July 2007, using the search terms estrogen receptor, kidney, and mice. Our group examined the effect of the ER-alpha knockout genotype on the kidney in streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus and compensatory kidney growth after uninephrectomy.


RESULTS
Female mice lacking ERa had reduced renal growth, including glomerular enlargement after 2 weeks of streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus and compensatory kidney growth 48 hours after uninephrectomy.


CONCLUSIONS
ER-mediated events influence kidney growth and disease in female mice.
Lane
Pascale H
PH
Department of Pediatrics, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA. phlane@unmc.edu
D000818:Animals; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000503:physiopathology; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000502:physiology*; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007668:Kidney / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009392:Nephrectomy; D011184:Postoperative Period
D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta