Distribution of Calcium in the Rat due to Chronic Renal Failure

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Abstract
During the 12 wk following 5/6 nephrectomy in rats with moderate uremia (creatinine 0.7-1.2 mg/100 ml, BUN [blood urea nitrogen] 53-89 mg/100 ml), no significant increases in total soft tissue calcification were observed. The Ca concentration of skeletal muscle remained unchanged at 4, 8 and 12 wk after surgery. A slight but not significant increase in skin Ca was found. A significant decrease in cardiac Ca was found for the uremic animals. Total body Ca as determined by neutron activation analysis was significantly lower in the uremic rat when compared with the age-matched animal. When normalized for body weight, the total Ca content in uremic rats did not differ from the controls. Similar findings were observed for the absolute Ca content of the tibia and when normalized for weight. A highly significant linear relationship (r [correlation coefficient] = 0.92, P < < 0.001) was established between absolute levels of total body Ca and tibia Ca which was identical for the control and uremic groups.