Effects of Maternal Undernutrition on Glomerular Ultrastructure in Rat Offspring

Background: Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) may decrease glomerular number and increase blood pressure in rats. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of maternal undernutrition during late gestation on glomerular ultrastructure in adult rat offspring. Methods: Timed pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats received 50% rations of control food intake from days 15 to 21 of gestation. Control rats received regular food throughout the pregnancies. Glomerular ultrastructure was quantified in male offspring at 16 weeks of age. Results: The ultrastructure of filtration apparatus in the IUGR rat glomeruli was indistinguishable from that in the control rat glomeruli. Volume fractions of podocyte, capillary, and mesangium, thickness of glomerular basement membrane, and width of filtration slit were comparable between control and IUGR rats. Conclusions: These findings indicate that glomerular ultrastructure is not affected by maternal undernutrition and suggest that altered glomerular ultrastructure is not a contributing factor in the pathogenesis of hypertension following maternal undernutrition.