title: Complications during pregnancy and fetal development: implications for the occurrence of chronic kidney disease.
abstract: Numerous epidemiological studies indicate an inverse association between birth weight and the risk for chronic kidney disease. Areas covered: Historically, the first studies to address the developmental origins of chronic disease focused on the inverse relationship between birth weight and blood pressure. A reduction in nephron number was a consistent finding in low birth weight individuals and experimental models of developmental insult. Recent studies indicate that a congenital reduction in renal reserve in conjunction with an increase in blood pressure that has its origins in fetal life increases vulnerability to renal injury and disease. Expert commentary: Limited experimental studies have investigated the mechanisms that contribute to the developmental origins of kidney disease. Several studies suggest that enhanced susceptibility to renal injury following a developmental insult is altered by sex and age. More in-depth studies are needed to clarify how low birth weight contributes to enhanced renal risk, and how sex and age influence this adverse relationship.
authors.affiliation: a Departments of Physiology and Biophysics , University of Mississippi Medical Center , Jackson , MS , USA.
authors.forename: Ashley D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Newsome
authors.affiliation: a Departments of Physiology and Biophysics , University of Mississippi Medical Center , Jackson , MS , USA.
authors.forename: Gwendolyn K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.affiliation: b Pediatrics , University of Mississippi Medical Center , Jackson , MS , USA.
authors.forename: Norma B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Ojeda
authors.affiliation: a Departments of Physiology and Biophysics , University of Mississippi Medical Center , Jackson , MS , USA.
authors.forename: Barbara T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Alexander
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007668:Kidney / Q000503:physiopathology; D009399:Nephrons / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology
keywords: Developmental origins; IUGR; chronic kidney disease; hypertension; low birth weight; nephron number