Influence of Age on Compensatory Renal Growth in Rats

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Abstract
Rats were nephrectomized (nx) or shamoperated (s) at the age of 5 days (young) or 55 days (adult). Nx and s rats from the same litters were studied at various times 5-75 days after surgery with determination of kidney weight and of renal cortical DNA and protein content. In some protocols protein and DNA content were determined in a more homogenous population of proximal tubular cells. In s rats body weight, kidney weight, renal cortical DNA content, and protein/DNA ratio increased until at least 80 days of age. Body growth was the same in nx and s rats. In young nx rats the remnant kidney was significantly enlarged 5 days after surgery. The difference in kidney size between nx and s rats increased continuously at least until the age of 80 days. The remnant kidney was 125 ± 9% enlarged 3 wk after nx and 175 ± 18% enlarged 8 wk after nx. Five days after nx there was no increase in cortical DNA content but a significant increase in protein/DNA ratio. From 2 wk after nx on, the DNA content was significantly higher in nx than in s rats but the protein/ DNA ratio was the same in nx and s rats. In adult nx rats, the remnant kidney was enlarged to the same extent 3 and 8 wk after surgery (130 ± 7 and 132 ± 8%, respectively). The increase in kidney weight 8 wk after nx was significantly smaller in adult than in young rats. The cortical DNA content and protein/DNA ratio were both moderately but significantly increased in adult rats 8 wk after nx. In conclusion this study has established age-dependent differences regarding the degree, the nature and the duration of compensatory renal growth. These differences can probably be attributed to the high mitotic capacity that is unique in the young kidney.