title: Developmental programming of a reduced nephron endowment: more than just a baby's birth weight.
abstract: The risk of developing many adult-onset diseases, including hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and renal disease, is increased in low-birth-weight individuals. A potential underlying mechanism contributing to the onset of these diseases is the formation of a low nephron endowment during development. Evidence from the human, as well as many experimental animal models, has shown a strong association between low birth weight and a reduced nephron endowment. However, other animal models, particularly those in which the mother is exposed to elevated glucocorticoids for a short period, have shown a 20-40% reduction in nephron endowment without discernible changes in the birth weight of offspring. Such findings emphasize that a low birth weight is one, but certainly not the only, predictor of nephron endowment and suggests reduced nephron endowment and risk of developing adult-onset disease, even among normal-birth-weight individuals. Recognition of the dissociation between birth weight and nephron endowment is important for future studies aimed at elucidating the role of a reduced nephron endowment in the developmental programming of adult disease.
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, Univ. of Queensland, 4072, Australia. k.moritz@uq.edu.au
authors.forename: Karen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Moritz
authors.forename: Reetu R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Megan E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Probyn
authors.forename: Kate M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Denton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009399:Nephrons / Q000002:abnormalities*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids