Differentiation of the Glomerular Filtration Barrier in the Rat Fetus: Possible Role of Collagen

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Abstract
Successive steps leading to the development of glomerular ultrafiltration properties were explored in rat fetuses. The appearance of the lamina densa of the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) concurrently with a sharp rise in collagen biosynthesis suggest a prominent role for these events in restricting permeability to plasma proteins. Sieving functions of the glomerular barrier are shown to depend on macromolecular architecture of the GBM, negative-fixed charges of the laminae rarae representing only one factor in maintaining the structure required for selective permeability.