Neuronal regulation of renal function: A model system for nervous system interactions

1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (5) ◽  
pp. 733-734 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Michael Wyss
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Renal Function ◽  
Renal Disease ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Renal Nerves ◽  
Clinical Consequence ◽  
Nerve Activity ◽  
Renal Nerve ◽  
Renal Nerve Activity

The kidney is the most highly innervated peripheral organ, and both the excretory and endocrine functions of the kidney are regulated by renal nerve activity. The kidney plays a dominant role in body fluid homeostasis, blood ionic concentration, and pH and thereby contributes importantly to systemic blood pressure control. Early studies suggested that the neural-renal interactions were responsible only for short-term adjustments in renal function, but more recent studies indicate that the renal nerves may be a major contributor to chronic renal defects leading to established hypertension and (or) renal disease. The neural-renal interaction is also of considerable interest as a model to elucidate the interplay between the nervous system and peripheral organs, since there is abundant anatomical and physiological information characterizing the renal nerves. The investigator has easy access to the renal nerves and the neural influence on renal function is directly quantifiable both in vivo and in vitro. In this symposium that was presented at the 1990 annual convention of the Society for Neuroscience in St. Louis, Missouri, three prominent researchers evaluate the most recent progress in understanding the interplay between the nervous system and the kidney and explore how the results of these studies relate to the broader questions concerning the nervous system's interactions.First, Luciano Barajas examines the detailed anatomy of the intrarenal distribution of the efferent and afferent renal nerves along the nephron and vasculature, and he evaluates the physiological role of each of the discrete components of the innervation. His basic science orientation combined with his deep appreciation of the clinical consequence of the failure of neural-renal regulation enhances his discussion of the anatomy. Ulla C. Kopp discusses the role of the renorenal reflex, which alters renal responses following stimulation of the contralateral kidney. She also considers her recent findings that efferent renal nerve activity can directly modify sensory feedback to the spinal cord from the kidney. Finally, J. Michael Wyss examines the functional consequences of neural control of the kidney in health and disease. Although the nervous system has often been considered as only an acute regulator of visceral function, current studies into hypertension and renal disease suggest that neural-renal dysfunction may be an important contributor to chronic diseases.Together, these presentations examine most of the recent advances in the area of neural-renal interactions and point out how these data form a basis for future research into neuronal interactions with all visceral organs. The relative simplicity of the neural-renal interaction makes this system an important model with which to elucidate all neural-peripheral and neural-neural interactions.

Lack of effect of chronic renal denervation on altered sodium reabsorption during increased ureteral pressure

1980 ◽  
Vol 58 (5) ◽  
pp. 477-483 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. R. Wilson ◽  
M. Cusimano ◽  
U. Honrath
Keyword(s):  
Isotonic Saline ◽  
Urine Osmolality ◽  
Tubular Reabsorption ◽  
Renal Nerves ◽  
Sodium Reabsorption ◽  
Nerve Activity ◽  
Renal Nerve ◽  
Water Excretion ◽  
Renal Nerve Activity

The role of the renal nerves in the altered sodium reabsorption which occurs during increased ureteral pressure was studied using clearance techniques in anaesthetized rats undergoing diuresis induced by isotonic saline infusion. In rats with a sham denervated kidney, an ipsilateral increase in ureteral pressure to 20 cm H2O resulted in a marked and significant decrease in sodium and water excretion, increased fractional sodium reabsorption, and increased urine osmolality with no significant change in glomerular filtration rate. A similar significant ipsilateral increase in tubular reabsorption of sodium occurred in rats with chronically denervated kidneys during increased ureteral pressure. The changes in tubular reabsorption were rapidly reversible after return of ureteral pressure to normal. These experiments indicate that enhanced tubular reabsorption of sodium during an ipsilateral increase in ureteral pressure is not mediated by increased renal nerve activity. During the antinatriuresis of increased ureteral pressure there was a decrease in the fractional reabsorption of sodium from the opposite normal kidney. The role of the renal nerves in this compensatory change in function in the opposite kidney was studied in two further groups of animals. The renal response to a contralateral increase in ureteral pressure was similar in denervated and sham-denervated kidneys. The results indicate that altered renal nerve activity, through ipsilateral or contralateral renorenal reflexes, is not responsible for the changes in tubular reabsorption of sodium which occur during increased ureteral pressure induced by partial ureteral obstruction.

Renal function and renal afferent and efferent nerve activity

1982 ◽  
Vol 243 (5) ◽  
pp. F425-F433 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. G. Moss
Keyword(s):  
Renal Function ◽  
Direct Action ◽  
Renal Nerves ◽  
Renal Tubules ◽  
Nerve Activity ◽  
Renal Nerve ◽  
Efferent Nerve ◽  
Water Excretion ◽  
Renal Nerve Activity ◽  
Stimulation Of

Recent microperfusion studies have fully substantiated the direct action of catecholamines on renal tubular reabsorptive rates. Surprisingly, these techniques have not provided consistent information on the nature of the adrenoceptor responsible for the stimulation of proximal tubular reabsorption. Both alpha- and beta-receptors have been favored for this role. These techniques have confirmed earlier reports that dopamine may have a direct natriuretic action on the renal tubules. The demonstration that renal efferent nerves contain both noradrenergic and dopaminergic fibers lends further support for the participation of dopamine in the regulation of salt and water excretion. Efferent renal nerve activity is modulated by a number of different afferent inputs to the central nervous system. One of these is the renal afferent innervation, which is composed of both chemoreceptor and mechanoreceptor fibers. A number of different reflexes that affect efferent renal nerve activity have been identified by electrical stimulation of renal afferent nerves or by selective stimulation of renal mechanoreceptors and chemoreceptors. These renorenal reflexes may have importance in the coordination of excretory activity between the two kidneys. Studies of these aspects of renal nerve function are reviewed. The importance of the renal nerves in conscious animals is also discussed in the light of evidence that their influence on renal function may be more apparent in abnormal or pathological circumstances.

Functional response to graded increases in renal nerve activity during hypoxia in conscious rabbits

1996 ◽  
Vol 271 (6) ◽  
pp. R1489-R1499 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. C. Malpas ◽  
A. Shweta ◽  
W. P. Anderson ◽  
G. A. Head
Keyword(s):  
Blood Flow ◽  
Renal Blood Flow ◽  
Sodium Excretion ◽  
Gas Mixtures ◽  
Renin Activity ◽  
Renal Nerves ◽  
Nerve Activity ◽  
Renal Nerve ◽  
Renal Nerve Activity ◽  
Conscious Rabbits

Changes in renal sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) are postulated to influence renal function in selective ways, such that different levels of activation produce particular renal responses, initially in renin release, then sodium excretion, with changes in renal hemodynamics occurring only with much greater stimulus intensities. The aim of this study was to determine the renal hemodynamic and excretory responses to graded physiological increases in renal SNA induced by breathing different hypoxic gas mixtures. Experiments were performed in seven conscious rabbits subjected to four gas mixtures (14% O2, 10% O2, 10% O2 + 3% CO2, and 10% O2 + 5% CO2) and instrumented for recording of renal nerve activity. After a 30-min control period, rabbits were subjected to one of the four gas mixtures for 30 min, and then room air was resumed for a further 30 min. The four gas mixtures increased renal SNA by 14, 38, 49, and 165% respectively, but arterial pressure (thus renal perfusion pressure) was not altered by any of the gas mixtures. The greatest level of sympathetic activation produced significant falls in glomerular filtration rate (GFR), renal blood flow, sodium and fluid excretion, and significant increases in plasma renin activity. These returned to levels not significantly different from control conditions in the 30-min period after the gas mixture. When the changes to the various gas mixtures were analyzed within each rabbit, a significant linear relationship was found with all variables to the increase in SNA. Renal denervation in a separate group of seven rabbits completely abolished all of the above responses to the different gas mixtures. Thus graded activation of renal nerves induced by changes in inspired gas mixtures resulted in graded decreases in renal blood flow, GFR, and sodium excretion and graded increases in renin activity, with the changes occurring across a similar range of nerve activities; there was no evidence for a selective change in any renal variable.

Age-dependent changes in afferent renal nerve activity in genetically hypertensive rats

1992 ◽  
Vol 262 (5) ◽  
pp. R834-R841 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. G. Moss ◽  
A. B. Scoltock
Keyword(s):  
Single Unit ◽  
Renal Ischemia ◽  
Renal Nerves ◽  
Hypertensive Rats ◽  
Nerve Activity ◽  
Renal Nerve ◽  
Wky Rats ◽  
Renal Nerve Activity ◽  
Single Unit Recordings ◽  
Wistar Kyoto

Multiunit and single-unit recordings of afferent renal nerve activity (ARNA) were obtained in anesthetized spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats between 35 and 150 days of age. Intrapelvic backflow of urine at 20 mmHg excited ARNA at all ages in SHR (152 +/- 18% above control) and WKY rats (262 +/- 24%). In SHR, complete renal ischemia was more excitatory in rats older than 120 days (1,233 +/- 103%, n = 8) than in younger SHR (317 +/- 28%, n = 42). Single-unit recordings showed that this was related to the appearance of R1 chemoreceptors in older SHR and coincided with a decline in the proportion of R2 chemoreceptors in the renal nerves. Other chemoreceptive responses were identified in single units that did not show complete R1 or R2 characteristics, some of which showed responses consistent with a transformation process from R2 to R1 receptor type. R1 chemoreceptors were not present in WKY rats studied up to 150 days of age and, unlike SHR, the proportion of R2 chemoreceptors did not decline with age. Accordingly, complete renal ischemia in WKY rats caused a comparable excitation in multiunit ARNA at all ages (285 +/- 33%, n = 43). Oral enalapril from weaning to 100 days of age prevented hypertension in SHR but did not impair the responsiveness of ARNA to any stimulus. In WKY rats, enalapril treatment for the same period resulted in exaggerated ARNA response to renal ischemia (1,250 +/- 377% above control).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Excitation of cardiac sympathetic afferent nerves: effects on renal function

1981 ◽  
Vol 241 (5) ◽  
pp. R267-R270
Author(s):  
R. L. Meckler ◽  
L. J. Macklem ◽  
L. C. Weaver
Keyword(s):  
Renal Function ◽  
Chemical Stimulation ◽  
Afferent Neurons ◽  
Nerve Activity ◽  
Renal Nerve ◽  
Efferent Nerve ◽  
Afferent Nerves ◽  
Renal Nerve Activity ◽  
Anesthetized Dogs ◽  
Stimulation Of

Cardiac sympathetic afferent nerves can reflexly alter renal efferent nerve activity during myocardial ischemia and in response to mechanical or chemical stimulation of cardiac receptors. They also may influence renal excretion of water and electrolytes; however, this potential influence on renal function has not been determined. Therefore, receptors of cardiac sympathetic afferent nerves were chemically stimulated by epicardial application of bradykinin to determine effects on renal function. Experiments were performed in anesthetized dogs in which cervical vagosympathetic trunks were severed and common carotid arteries were tied to diminish influences of arterial baroreceptors and vagal afferent nerves. Chemical stimulation of cardiac afferent neurons excited renal nerve activity and produced decreases in urine flow rate, glomerular filtration rate, and excretion of sodium and potassium. In contrast, no consistent changes in renal function were observed in control dogs, which did not undergo cardiac afferent stimulation. These data provide evidence that activation of cardiac sympathetic afferent neurons can lead to alterations in excretion of water and electrolytes as well as changes in renal nerve activity.

Renal nerves in exaggerated water and sodium excretion by hypertrophied kidney of anesthetized rats

1988 ◽  
Vol 254 (1) ◽  
pp. F32-F37 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Szenasi ◽  
G. Kottra ◽  
P. Bencsath ◽  
L. Takacs
Keyword(s):  
Thiobarbituric Acid ◽  
Male Rats ◽  
Renal Nerves ◽  
Sham Operation ◽  
Nerve Activity ◽  
Renal Nerve ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Renal Nerve Activity ◽  
And Control ◽  
Water And Sodium Excretion

The effect of acute renal denervation (RD) on water (V), sodium (UNaV), and potassium excretion (UKV) from the hypertrophied and control kidney was studied in 5-sec-butyl-5-ethyl-2-thiobarbituric acid (Inactin)-anesthetized male rats 7 days after unilateral nephrectomy (Nx) or sham operation (SNx). V, UNaV, and UKV from the hypertrophied kidney were similar before and after RD or sham RD. In contrast, in SNx rats, left RD resulted in an ipsilateral increase in V (from 2.76 +/- 0.39 to 5.31 +/- 0.99 microliters.min-1.g-1), UNaV (from 109 +/- 36 to 857 +/- 331 nmol.min-1.g-1), and UKV (from 144 +/- 44 to 807 +/- 130 nmol.min-1.g-1; P less than 0.05 in all cases). Moreover, renal parameters from the hypertrophied kidney, subjected to either RD or sham RD, were not different from values after RD in SNx rats (V: Nx, sham RD = 5.72 +/- 1.10; Nx, RD = 5.23 +/- 0.66; SNx, RD = 5.31 +/- 0.99 microliters.min-1.g-1; UNaV: Nx, sham RD = 896 +/- 319; Nx, RD = 821 +/- 262; SNx, RD = 857 +/- 331 nmol.min-1.g-1; UKV: Nx, sham RD = 782 +/- 127; Nx, RD = 860 +/- 82; SNx, RD = 807 +/- 130 nmol.min-1.g-1). In additional experiments, integrated renal nerve activity (RNA) to the kidney in Nx and SNx rats was 4.0 +/- 0.3 and 10.7 +/- 0.9 microV (P less than 0.05), respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The influence of renal nerves on electrolyte excretion in conscious and anesthetized rats fed or fasted overnight

1990 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 524-530 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. F. Mercer ◽  
R. L. Kline
Keyword(s):  
Renal Nerves ◽  
Potassium Excretion ◽  
Electrolyte Excretion ◽  
Renal Nerve ◽  
Conscious Rats ◽  
Anesthetized Rats ◽  
Norepinephrine Turnover ◽  
Renal Nerve Activity ◽  
Fasted Rats

The role of the renal nerves in the electrolyte excretion of rats fed or fasted overnight was determined in conscious rats and anesthetized (Inactin) and surgically prepared rats. In conscious rats sodium excretion, as measured in a 1-h urine collection period after feeding or fasting overnight, was decreased with fasting with or without renal nerves. Renal nerve activity, as measured by norepinephrine turnover (inhibition of tyrosine hydroxylase by α-methyl-p-tyrosine), was not different between conscious fed or fasted rats and increased to the same extent in fed and fasted rats when anesthetized and surgically prepared. Anesthetized, surgically prepared rats infused with 5.0% glucose showed a denervation natriuresis if rats were fed overnight, but not if they had been fasted overnight. Potassium excretion in conscious and anesthetized rats was lower in fasted rats than fed rats with or without renal nerves. These data suggest (i) renal nerves are not involved in the renal response to an overnight fast in conscious rats, and (ii) in anesthetized, surgically prepared rats renal sympathetic tone is enhanced and denervation natriuresis occurs if rats are fed but not if fasted. Potassium excretion is a reflection of whether rats are fed or fasted and not whether they have renal nerves.Key words: kidney, fasting, sodium, renal nerves.

The Sodium-Retaining Effect of Renal Nerve Activity in the Cat: Role of Angiotensin Formation

1976 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. J. Johns ◽  
Barbara A. Lewis ◽  
Bertha Singer
Keyword(s):  
Blood Flow ◽  
Glomerular Filtration Rate ◽  
Glomerular Filtration ◽  
Filtration Rate ◽  
Plasma Renin ◽  
Renal Nerves ◽  
Nerve Activity ◽  
Renal Nerve ◽  
Renal Nerve Activity ◽  
Sodium Clearance

1. The effect of low-frequency stimulation of the renal nerves on renal function and renin release has been investigated. The experiments were performed in unilaterally nephrectomized, anaesthetized cats in which the nerves to the remaining kidney were sectioned. 2. When stimulation frequency was adjusted to reduce renal blood flow by approximately 15% for 15 min, glomerular filtration rate was hardly affected. The ratio sodium clearance/glomerular filtration rate was significantly reduced and plasma renin activity was significantly increased. 3. When the renal nerves were similarly stimulated in the presence of the β-adrenergic receptor blocking agent, propranolol, the glomerular filtration rate was significantly reduced and the rise in plasma renin activity was significantly inhibited. The reduction of sodium clearance/glomerular filtration rate was as great as in the control animals. 4. The results are consistent with the view that the maintenance of glomerular filtration rate, during renal nerve stimulation which reduced renal blood flow, may be mediated by the local generation of angiotensin. The results also suggest that angiotensin does not play an important role in the sodium retention associated with increased renal nerve activity.

Do renal nerves chronically influence renal function and arterial pressure in spinal rats?

1992 ◽  
Vol 263 (6) ◽  
pp. R1265-R1270 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. A. Trostel ◽  
J. W. Osborn
Keyword(s):  
Renal Function ◽  
Arterial Pressure ◽  
Cervical Spinal Cord ◽  
Plasma Renin ◽  
Urinary Sodium Excretion ◽  
Renal Nerves ◽  
Sprague Dawley ◽  
Urine Ph ◽  
Renal Nerve ◽  
Renal Nerve Activity

Previous studies have demonstrated that renal nerve activity has acute effects on renal function in rats with cervical spinal cord transection (CST). The present study tested the hypothesis that renal nerves chronically influence renal and cardiovascular function in CST rats. Three groups of conscious Sprague-Dawley rats were studied: renal denervated plus CST (RDNX + CST), sham RDNX plus CST (sham + CST), and sham RDNX plus sham CST (intact). CST or sham CST surgeries were performed 8 days after RDNX or sham RDNX. Sodium and water intakes were fixed by intravenous infusion. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and plasma renin activity (PRA) were measured before and for 9 days after CST/sham CST. In addition, urine flow, urinary sodium excretion, and urine pH were measured in the two groups of CST rats. One day after CST, MAP decreased approximately 25 mmHg in both RDNX + CST and sham + CST groups. PRA had fallen approximately 50% 1 day after CST and was not different between CST groups. PRA remained depressed throughout the study. There were no differences between sham + CST and RDNX + CST rats in any of the renal or cardiovascular variables measured after CST. In summary, we found no evidence for a chronic effect of renal nerves on renal function or arterial pressure in CST rats.

Essential fatty acid deficiency impairs the responsiveness of renal pelvic sensory receptors

1995 ◽  
Vol 268 (1) ◽  
pp. R164-R170 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. C. Kopp ◽  
D. M. Farley ◽  
L. A. Smith ◽  
H. R. Knapp
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Essential Fatty Acid ◽  
Receptor Activation ◽  
Sensory Receptor ◽  
Standard Diet ◽  
Nerve Activity ◽  
Renal Nerve ◽  
Renal Nerve Activity ◽  
Fatty Acid Deficiency

The role of prostaglandins in renal sensory receptor activation was examined in rats fed an essential fatty acid-deficient (EFAD) diet to cause tissue arachidonate depletion. Littermates fed a standard diet were used as controls. In anesthetized rats, the increases in afferent renal nerve activity due to increasing ureteral pressure 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, and 15 mmHg were significantly reduced by the EFAD diet (P < 0.02): 3 +/- 5, 3 +/- 5, 11 +/- 5, 9 +/- 5, 19 +/- 3, and 17 +/- 5%, respectively, in EFAD rats and 23 +/- 11, 36 +/- 15, 50 +/- 15, 52 +/- 8, 72 +/- 17, and 90 +/- 19%, respectively, in control rats. In EFAD rats, addition of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) to the renal pelvic perfusate restored the afferent renal nerve activity response to increased ureteral pressure toward that in control rats. PGE2 had no effect in control rats. Also the afferent renal nerve activity responses to renal pelvic perfusion with bradykinin at 4, 20, 100, and 500 micrograms/ml were significantly suppressed by the EFAD diet (P < 0.01): 13 +/- 15, 5 +/- 7, 60 +/- 19, and 63 +/- 20%, respectively, in EFAD rats and 122 +/- 23, 142 +/- 31, 172 +/- 19, and 190 +/- 39%, respectively, in control rats. These results demonstrate an important role for arachidonate metabolites, particularly PGE2, in renal sensory receptor activation. Together with our previous studies showing that indomethacin blocks the afferent renal nerve activity responses to increased ureteral pressure or bradykinin, the present studies provide strong evidence for an essential role of prostaglandins in renal sensory receptor activation.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document