Associations between nephron number and podometrics in human kidneys

Podocyte loss and resultant nephron loss are common processes in the development of glomerulosclerosis and chronic kidney disease. While the cortical distribution of glomerulosclerosis is known to be non-uniform, the relationship between the numbers of non-sclerotic glomeruli (NSG), podometrics and zonal differences in podometrics remain incompletely understood. To help define this, we studied autopsy kidneys from 50 adults with median age 68 years and median eGFR 73.5 mL/min/1.73m2 without apparent glomerular disease in a cross-sectional analysis. The number of NSG per kidney was estimated using the physical dissector/fractionator combination, while podometrics were estimated using model-based stereology. The number of NSG per kidney was directly correlated with podocyte number per tuft and podocyte density. Each additional 100,000 NSG per kidney was associated with 26 more podocytes per glomerulus and 16 podocytes per 106 μm3 increase in podocyte density. These associations were independent of clinical factors and cortical zone. While podocyte number per glomerulus was similar in the three zones, superficial glomeruli were the smallest and had the highest podocyte density but smallest podocytes. Increasing age and hypertension were associated with lower podocyte number, with age mostly affecting superficial glomeruli, and hypertension mostly affecting juxtamedullary glomeruli. Thus, in this first study to report a direct correlation between the number of NSG and podometrics, we suggest that podocyte number is decreasing in NSG of individuals losing nephrons. However, another possible interpretation may be that more nephrons might protect against further podocyte loss. Podocyte loss and resultant nephron loss are common processes in the development of glomerulosclerosis and chronic kidney disease. While the cortical distribution of glomerulosclerosis is known to be non-uniform, the relationship between the numbers of non-sclerotic glomeruli (NSG), podometrics and zonal differences in podometrics remain incompletely understood. To help define this, we studied autopsy kidneys from 50 adults with median age 68 years and median eGFR 73.5 mL/min/1.73m2 without apparent glomerular disease in a cross-sectional analysis. The number of NSG per kidney was estimated using the physical dissector/fractionator combination, while podometrics were estimated using model-based stereology. The number of NSG per kidney was directly correlated with podocyte number per tuft and podocyte density. Each additional 100,000 NSG per kidney was associated with 26 more podocytes per glomerulus and 16 podocytes per 106 μm3 increase in podocyte density. These associations were independent of clinical factors and cortical zone. While podocyte number per glomerulus was similar in the three zones, superficial glomeruli were the smallest and had the highest podocyte density but smallest podocytes. Increasing age and hypertension were associated with lower podocyte number, with age mostly affecting superficial glomeruli, and hypertension mostly affecting juxtamedullary glomeruli. Thus, in this first study to report a direct correlation between the number of NSG and podometrics, we suggest that podocyte number is decreasing in NSG of individuals losing nephrons. However, another possible interpretation may be that more nephrons might protect against further podocyte loss. Nephron endowment in humans is established at around 36 weeks of gestation when nephrogenesis ceases.1Hinchliffe S.A. Sargent P.H. Howard C.V. et al.Human intrauterine renal growth expressed in absolute number of glomeruli assessed by the disector method and Cavalieri principle.Lab Invest. 1991; 64: 777-784PubMed Google Scholar,2Ryan D. Sutherland M.R. Flores T.J. et al.Development of the human fetal kidney from mid to late gestation in male and female infants.EBioMedicine. 2018; 27: 275-283Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (64) Google Scholar In normal adult kidneys, nephron number varies approximately 13-fold.3Bertram J.F. Douglas-Denton R.N. Diouf B. et al.Human nephron number: implications for health and disease.Pediatr Nephrol. 2011; 26: 1529-1533Crossref PubMed Scopus (321) Google Scholar This variation is the product of initial differences in nephron endowment and age-related nephron loss.4Zhang Z. Quinlan J. Hoy W. et al.A common RET variant is associated with reduced newborn kidney size and function.J Am Soc Nephrol. 2008; 19: 2027-2034Crossref PubMed Scopus (106) Google Scholar, 5Hoy W.E. Douglas-Denton R.N. Hughson M.D. et al.A stereological study of glomerular number and volume: preliminary findings in a multiracial study of kidneys at autopsy.Kidney Int Suppl. 2003; : S31-S37Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (292) Google Scholar, 6Denic A. Lieske J.C. Chakkera H.A. et al.The substantial loss of nephrons in healthy human kidneys with aging.J Am Soc Nephrol. 2017; 28: 313-320Crossref PubMed Scopus (192) Google Scholar Brenner et al.7Brenner B.M. Garcia D.L. Anderson S. Glomeruli and blood pressure: less of one, more the other?.Am J Hypertens. 1988; 1: 335-347Crossref PubMed Scopus (1080) Google Scholar first proposed that low nephron number, either congenital or acquired, may predispose to subsequent development of hypertension and chronic kidney disease, and findings from human and animal studies generally support this proposal. In addition to nephron loss, podocyte loss as a result of healthy aging and hypertension can also lead to glomerular pathology and loss, typically featuring ischemic-appearing glomeruli and globally sclerotic glomeruli.8Hodgin J.B. Bitzer M. Wickman L. et al.Glomerular aging and focal global glomerulosclerosis: a podometric perspective.J Am Soc Nephrol. 2015; 26: 3162-3178Crossref PubMed Scopus (136) Google Scholar, 9Puelles V.G. Cullen-McEwen L.A. Taylor G.E. et al.Human podocyte depletion in association with older age and hypertension.Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2016; 310: F656-F668Crossref PubMed Scopus (44) Google Scholar, 10Haruhara K. Sasaki T. de Zoysa N. et al.Podometrics in Japanese living donor kidneys: associations with nephron number, age, and hypertension.J Am Soc Nephrol. 2021; 32: 1187-1199Crossref PubMed Scopus (5) Google Scholar, 11Naik A.S. Le D. Aqeel J. et al.Podocyte stress and detachment measured in urine are related to mean arterial pressure in healthy humans.Kidney Int. 2020; 98: 699-707Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (13) Google Scholar, 12Denic A. Ricaurte L. Lopez C.L. et al.Glomerular volume and glomerulosclerosis at different depths within the human kidney.J Am Soc Nephrol. 2019; 30: 1471-1480Crossref PubMed Scopus (19) Google Scholar However, unlike nephron endowment, the concept of podocyte endowment, a term first coined by Puelles et al.13Puelles V.G. Douglas-Denton R.N. Cullen-McEwen L.A. et al.Podocyte number in children and adults: associations with glomerular size and numbers of other glomerular resident cells.J Am Soc Nephrol. 2015; 26: 2277-2288Crossref PubMed Scopus (48) Google Scholar has been little studied. Puelles et al.13Puelles V.G. Douglas-Denton R.N. Cullen-McEwen L.A. et al.Podocyte number in children and adults: associations with glomerular size and numbers of other glomerular resident cells.J Am Soc Nephrol. 2015; 26: 2277-2288Crossref PubMed Scopus (48) Google Scholar found that glomeruli of children contained approximately 100 fewer podocytes per glomerulus than adults. We have recently shown in animal studies that maternal hypoxia and maternal low protein diet both give rise to with low nephron endowment as as low podocyte et hypoxia low podocyte endowment in but female 2020; PubMed Scopus Google L.A. J. K. et al.Podocyte endowment and the of adult size kidney J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2021; PubMed Scopus (5) Google Scholar These findings the of kidneys with nephron number also have glomeruli with podocyte number, of against nephron loss, and kidneys with lower nephron number have fewer podocytes per glomerulus the of further nephron loss. In the we estimated the number of glomeruli as as podocyte number per glomerulus in Japanese adult kidneys at that the distribution of glomerulosclerosis is the A. Ricaurte L. Lopez C.L. et al.Glomerular volume and glomerulosclerosis at different depths within the human kidney.J Am Soc Nephrol. 2019; 30: 1471-1480Crossref PubMed Scopus (19) Google T. N. et of and hypertension the and distribution of glomerular J Hypertens. 2019; 32: PubMed Scopus Google Scholar we also podometrics number, and in cortical findings a direct correlation between nephron number and podocyte number, that fewer podocytes per glomerulus in also fewer while more podocytes per glomerulus more nephrons. for this is that with more nephrons had a podocyte per glomerulus than with fewer that health has a direct kidney health in We also report zonal differences in to the of age and hypertension podocyte This study was in with the of The study was by the and the of the of were at at the between and as Puelles V.G. Cullen-McEwen L.A. et glomerular a Japanese autopsy 2017; PubMed Scopus Google Scholar kidneys from years or more without apparent or glomerular were in the were from autopsy for Japanese was using the S. T. the of Google was as a blood pressure of a blood pressure of or the of The estimated glomerular was using a for the for Japanese S. M. et for estimated from in J Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus Google is the within to nephron number per podocyte podocyte number, podocyte and glomerular volume are in the are expressed as median were for between clinical a of from the cortical zones, the with was of a of was The correlation was to between the the distribution by were to between nephron number and In the for the zonal differences in podometrics, were in age of 68 years or with a than median number of and with kidney of per or of was for were using and kidneys were at autopsy from However, were a of 50 kidneys for the The for were were for podocyte and clinical The clinical of the and are shown in The clinical other than from to were similar in the as was the number of NSG per kidney of the autopsy in the were for per were for are median or were from to estimated glomerular were for were for are median or were in a estimated glomerular were Japanese adults. The median age of the 50 was 68 years with a from to were of hypertension and was in and The were glomerular as or eGFR was 73.5 per renal per was in had a than female female was in age, of or Nephron number, glomerular and podometric in the 50 autopsy kidneys are shown in nephron number was with from to The median number of NSG per was with from to number, glomerular and podometric for the 50 autopsy nephron number, nephron number, nephron number, J.F. Douglas-Denton R.N. Diouf B. et al.Human nephron number: implications for health and disease.Pediatr Nephrol. 2011; 26: 1529-1533Crossref PubMed Scopus (321) Google per 106 J.F. Douglas-Denton R.N. Diouf B. et al.Human nephron number: implications for health and disease.Pediatr Nephrol. 2011; 26: 1529-1533Crossref PubMed Scopus (321) Google number per glomerular J.F. Douglas-Denton R.N. Diouf B. et al.Human nephron number: implications for health and disease.Pediatr Nephrol. 2011; 26: 1529-1533Crossref PubMed Scopus (321) Google of globally sclerotic of glomerular volume by podocytes. in a of globally sclerotic of glomerular volume by podocytes. podocyte number per glomerulus was with from to podocytes per podocyte density was per 106 J.F. Douglas-Denton R.N. Diouf B. et al.Human nephron number: implications for health and disease.Pediatr Nephrol. 2011; 26: 1529-1533Crossref PubMed Scopus (321) Google Scholar with from to per 106 J.F. Douglas-Denton R.N. Diouf B. et al.Human nephron number: implications for health and disease.Pediatr Nephrol. 2011; 26: 1529-1533Crossref PubMed Scopus (321) Google Scholar, and median podocyte volume was μm3 with from to Podocyte number per glomerulus was associated with age but was associated with either or was in podocyte number per tuft female had fewer podocytes per tuft than In a of by age and of older had fewer podocytes per glomerulus than in the superficial differences were found in the other cortical glomeruli in had fewer podocytes than juxtamedullary glomeruli in volume was in male than in female 106 J.F. Douglas-Denton R.N. Diouf B. et al.Human nephron number: implications for health and disease.Pediatr Nephrol. 2011; 26: 1529-1533Crossref PubMed Scopus (321) Google Scholar female 106 J.F. Douglas-Denton R.N. Diouf B. et al.Human nephron number: implications for health and disease.Pediatr Nephrol. 2011; 26: 1529-1533Crossref PubMed Scopus (321) Google and was directly correlated with the other podocyte density was lower in male than in female podocytes per 106 J.F. Douglas-Denton R.N. Diouf B. et al.Human nephron number: implications for health and disease.Pediatr Nephrol. 2011; 26: 1529-1533Crossref PubMed Scopus (321) Google Scholar female podocytes per 106 J.F. Douglas-Denton R.N. Diouf B. et al.Human nephron number: implications for health and disease.Pediatr Nephrol. 2011; 26: 1529-1533Crossref PubMed Scopus (321) Google and was associated with volume and podocyte density were associated with age, or blood pressure podocyte volume density of podocytes in were associated with age, or However, podocytes in male were than in female μm3 female μm3 was similar in both female The clinical and of kidneys from are and are are in The clinical were similar in the While the number of glomeruli and the number of glomeruli were lower in the than in the differences were volume was in the than in the while podocyte density was lower and podocyte volume was the other podocyte number per tuft and were similar in the associations between glomerular volume and for podometric were found glomerular volume was associated with podocyte number per lower podocyte and podocyte was relationship between glomerular volume and The number of NSG per kidney was directly correlated with podocyte number per tuft podocyte density and Each additional 100,000 NSG per kidney was associated with 26 more podocytes per glomerulus 16 podocytes per 106 J.F. Douglas-Denton R.N. Diouf B. et al.Human nephron number: implications for health and disease.Pediatr Nephrol. 2011; 26: 1529-1533Crossref PubMed Scopus (321) Google Scholar increase in podocyte density and a increase in the of glomerular volume of podocytes The number of NSG was associated with podocyte volume The associations the number of NSG and podocyte number, podocyte and for clinical factors age, of and eGFR The number of NSG was associated with podometric in cortical The number of NSG was associated with podocyte volume in cortical The between nephron number and podometrics a similar to the In the of globally sclerotic glomeruli was correlated with podocyte number, podocyte and for podometrics in 50 was for age and was for age, of and estimated glomerular number per tuft in density in volume in in of glomerular volume by are the number of NSG The were for of NSG was for age and was for age, of and estimated glomerular in a of glomerular volume by podocytes. are the number of NSG The were for of NSG glomerular volume and podometrics in the cortical were Podocyte number per glomerulus was similar in the cortical zones, by glomeruli were than glomeruli in the other and had a podocyte density. podocyte volume was lower in superficial glomeruli than in the other zones, was similar in the findings were in age of 68 years or with a than median number of and with kidney of per or and volume and podometrics in the cortical J.F. Douglas-Denton R.N. Diouf B. et al.Human nephron number: implications for health and disease.Pediatr Nephrol. 2011; 26: 1529-1533Crossref PubMed Scopus (321) Google number per J.F. Douglas-Denton R.N. Diouf B. et al.Human nephron number: implications for health and disease.Pediatr Nephrol. 2011; 26: 1529-1533Crossref PubMed Scopus (321) Google J.F. Douglas-Denton R.N. Diouf B. et al.Human nephron number: implications for health and disease.Pediatr Nephrol. 2011; 26: 1529-1533Crossref PubMed Scopus (321) Google of glomerular volume by are median in a of glomerular volume by podocytes. are median podocyte depletion from podocyte loss, podocyte depletion to podocyte loss glomerular the to a of factors low nephron endowment at A. A. et nephron endowment and hypertension in the Am Soc Nephrol. PubMed Scopus Google S. N. et nephron endowment and glomerular volume in adult 2016; 32: PubMed Scopus Google Scholar age-related nephron A. Lieske J.C. Chakkera H.A. et al.The substantial loss of nephrons in healthy human kidneys with aging.J Am Soc Nephrol. 2017; 28: 313-320Crossref PubMed Scopus (192) Google Scholar A. Ricaurte L. Lopez C.L. et al.Glomerular volume and glomerulosclerosis at different depths within the human kidney.J Am Soc Nephrol. 2019; 30: 1471-1480Crossref PubMed Scopus (19) Google A. J. et and pathology findings with glomerular Am Soc Nephrol. 2018; PubMed Scopus (19) Google Scholar A. Ricaurte L. Lopez C.L. et al.Glomerular volume and glomerulosclerosis at different depths within the human kidney.J Am Soc Nephrol. 2019; 30: 1471-1480Crossref PubMed Scopus (19) Google T. N. et of and hypertension the and distribution of glomerular J Hypertens. 2019; 32: PubMed Scopus Google A. J. et and pathology findings with glomerular Am Soc Nephrol. 2018; PubMed Scopus (19) Google B. et kidney cortical is associated with kidney and in with for kidney 2019; Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus Google Scholar and A. Ricaurte L. Lopez C.L. et al.Glomerular volume and glomerulosclerosis at different depths within the human kidney.J Am Soc Nephrol. 2019; 30: 1471-1480Crossref PubMed Scopus (19) Google T. N. et of and hypertension the and distribution of glomerular J Hypertens. 2019; 32: PubMed Scopus Google A. J. et and pathology findings with glomerular Am Soc Nephrol. 2018; PubMed Scopus (19) Google B. et kidney cortical is associated with kidney and in with for kidney 2019; Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus Google Scholar absolute and podocyte depletion are common to glomerulosclerosis and subsequent in the number of M. et al.Podocyte depletion glomerulosclerosis: podocyte depletion in human Am Soc Nephrol. PubMed Scopus Google A. et podocyte Am Soc Nephrol. PubMed Scopus Google Scholar This nephron loss may podocyte in glomeruli to further nephron et in a to renal J Physiol. Google Scholar This of podocyte nephron loss, and pressure in glomeruli is known as the and is a common to kidney B.M. Garcia D.L. Anderson S. Glomeruli and blood pressure: less of one, more the other?.Am J Hypertens. 1988; 1: 335-347Crossref PubMed Scopus (1080) Google Scholar In animal study using that podocytes are in the development of glomerulosclerosis to L. et al.The of podocyte in the of kidney and Nephrol. 2019; PubMed Scopus Google Scholar However, the relationship between nephron number and podometrics has been little to glomerular and glomerulosclerosis in cortical of the A. Ricaurte L. Lopez C.L. et al.Glomerular volume and glomerulosclerosis at different depths within the human kidney.J Am Soc Nephrol. 2019; 30: 1471-1480Crossref PubMed Scopus (19) Google T. N. et of and hypertension the and distribution of glomerular J Hypertens. 2019; 32: PubMed Scopus Google T. Hoy W.E. Douglas-Denton et of glomerular volume in different cortical of the human kidney.J Am Soc Nephrol. PubMed Scopus Google V.G. T. et glomerular volume in the human clinical 27: PubMed Scopus Google Scholar is known podometric between in healthy The findings of the study the number of NSG per kidney was directly correlated with podocyte number per podocyte and the of glomerular volume by podocytes glomeruli in the superficial were than glomeruli in the other and had the highest podocyte density and smallest podocyte number per tuft and were different the cortical and the of age podocyte number was in superficial glomeruli, the podocyte number was apparent in juxtamedullary glomeruli The study is the first to report that kidneys with more NSG have more podocytes per podocyte and a of glomerular volume by podocytes. These are of a healthy kidney and can be as healthy kidneys have fewer nephrons and podocytes in adult had a nephron and podocyte endowment at the of that nephron endowment in humans is established term S.A. Sargent P.H. Howard C.V. et al.Human intrauterine renal growth expressed in absolute number of glomeruli assessed by the disector method and Cavalieri principle.Lab Invest. 1991; 64: 777-784PubMed Google Scholar,2Ryan D. Sutherland M.R. Flores T.J. et al.Development of the human fetal kidney from mid to late gestation in male and female infants.EBioMedicine. 2018; 27: 275-283Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (64) Google Scholar and that or D. Sutherland M.R. Flores T.J. et al.Development of the human fetal kidney from mid to late gestation in male and female infants.EBioMedicine. 2018; 27: 275-283Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (64) Google M. Wickman L. et al.Podocyte number and density human Nephrol. 2017; 32: PubMed Scopus Google Podocyte number in the J Nephrol. 2011; PubMed Scopus (19) Google Scholar findings suggest that maternal and health are for kidney The of kidney health is J.F. Brenner B.M. et of fetal and health kidney development and of hypertension and kidney Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus Google Scholar but the findings in the study the first that nephron and podocyte endowment may be kidney development and to kidney lower nephron and podocyte endowment have the both nephron number and podocyte number per glomerulus in healthy J.F. Douglas-Denton R.N. Diouf B. et al.Human nephron number: implications for health and disease.Pediatr Nephrol. 2011; 26: 1529-1533Crossref PubMed Scopus (321) Google W.E. Douglas-Denton R.N. Hughson M.D. et al.A stereological study of glomerular number and volume: preliminary findings in a multiracial study of kidneys at autopsy.Kidney Int Suppl. 2003; : S31-S37Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (292) Google A. Lieske J.C. Chakkera H.A. et al.The substantial loss of nephrons in healthy human kidneys with aging.J Am Soc Nephrol. 2017; 28: 313-320Crossref PubMed Scopus (192) Google J.B. Bitzer M. Wickman L. et al.Glomerular aging and focal global glomerulosclerosis: a podometric perspective.J Am Soc Nephrol. 2015; 26: 3162-3178Crossref PubMed Scopus (136) Google K. Sasaki T. de Zoysa N. et al.Podometrics in Japanese living donor kidneys: associations with nephron number, age, and hypertension.J Am Soc Nephrol. 2021; 32: 1187-1199Crossref PubMed Scopus (5) Google Scholar may in older findings number of NSG with podocyte number per podocyte and a of glomerular volume by podocytes with findings from study of Japanese K. Sasaki T. de Zoysa N. et al.Podometrics in Japanese living donor kidneys: associations with nephron number, age, and hypertension.J Am Soc Nephrol. 2021; 32: 1187-1199Crossref PubMed Scopus (5) Google Scholar In that while a direct correlation between the number of NSG per kidney and podocyte number per glomerulus the number of NSG and podocyte podocyte or the of glomerular volume by podocytes were The in findings between the studies may be the result of of autopsy kidneys healthy living donor kidneys, as as differences in the to the number of K. Sasaki T. de Zoysa N. et al.Podometrics in Japanese living donor kidneys: associations with nephron number, age, and hypertension.J Am Soc Nephrol. 2021; 32: 1187-1199Crossref PubMed Scopus (5) Google Scholar The findings that superficial glomeruli were than glomeruli in the juxtamedullary and studies of autopsy or kidney differences in glomerular volume the cortical A. Ricaurte L. Lopez C.L. et al.Glomerular volume and glomerulosclerosis at different depths within the human kidney.J Am Soc Nephrol. 2019; 30: 1471-1480Crossref PubMed Scopus (19) Google T. Hoy W.E. Douglas-Denton et of glomerular volume in different cortical of the human kidney.J Am Soc Nephrol. PubMed Scopus Google V.G. T. et glomerular volume in the human clinical 27: PubMed Scopus Google Scholar Puelles et V.G. T. et glomerular volume in the human clinical 27: PubMed Scopus Google Scholar in a study of autopsy kidneys in glomerular volume was estimated using the Cavalieri method found that juxtamedullary glomeruli were than superficial glomeruli. et A. Ricaurte L. Lopez C.L. et al.Glomerular volume and glomerulosclerosis at different depths within the human kidney.J Am Soc Nephrol. 2019; 30: 1471-1480Crossref PubMed Scopus (19) Google Scholar in a study of kidneys using model-based found that glomeruli were the by juxtamedullary and superficial glomeruli. The findings are generally in with we a in glomerular size between the and juxtamedullary zones, to The findings also that superficial glomeruli had the highest podocyte density and the smallest podocytes. that podocyte number per glomerulus was the in zones, this that podocyte number and glomerular volume are factors and podocyte density from in the study to podocyte number per glomerulus in the cortical of the human Puelles et al.13Puelles V.G. Douglas-Denton R.N. Cullen-McEwen L.A. et al.Podocyte number in children and adults: associations with glomerular size and numbers of other glomerular resident cells.J Am Soc Nephrol. 2015; 26: 2277-2288Crossref PubMed Scopus (48) Google Scholar also found that podocyte number was similar in the cortical The findings from studies that podocyte density is by cortical while podocyte number is This may be in the of clinical in can be to the of glomerulosclerosis and glomerular in of the A. Ricaurte L. Lopez C.L. et al.Glomerular volume and glomerulosclerosis at different depths within the human kidney.J Am Soc Nephrol. 2019; 30: 1471-1480Crossref PubMed Scopus (19) Google T. N. et of and hypertension the and distribution of glomerular J Hypertens. 2019; 32: PubMed Scopus Google Scholar et A. Ricaurte L. Lopez C.L. et al.Glomerular volume and glomerulosclerosis at different depths within the human kidney.J Am Soc Nephrol. 2019; 30: 1471-1480Crossref PubMed Scopus (19) Google Scholar that globally sclerotic glomeruli and ischemic-appearing glomeruli, are of aging kidneys, were in superficial glomeruli in human In the we found that podocyte number per glomerulus with age in superficial glomeruli, but in glomeruli in the other the of podocytes in the development of age-related glomerulosclerosis is J. B. et glomerulosclerosis and in a podocyte Int. Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus Google Scholar, et al.The glomerular in of Int. 2017; Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus Google Scholar, A. of renal Int. 2017; Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus Google Scholar this age-related podocyte loss in the superficial is a possible for superficial glomeruli are to age-related sclerotic In to the of age podocyte number, hypertension was associated with reduced podocyte number per tuft in juxtamedullary glomeruli. study that blood pressure in the normal was associated with podocyte in healthy kidney hypertension to podocyte A.S. Le D. Aqeel J. et al.Podocyte stress and detachment measured in urine are related to mean arterial pressure in healthy humans.Kidney Int. 2020; 98: 699-707Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (13) Google Scholar in juxtamedullary glomeruli with and superficial glomeruli, and this had been mostly to zonal B.M. K. et glomerular pressure and size glomerulosclerosis in juxtamedullary J Physiol. PubMed Google J. B.M. of renal pressure variation in juxtamedullary in J Physiol Renal Physiol. PubMed Scopus Google Scholar suggest that glomerular as podometrics, may also to the development of glomerular in juxtamedullary glomeruli. The podocyte density in female and male was different in male and this was to differences in glomerular volume and podocyte number per tuft and density of podocytes might be independent of were similar in female and male we that the in podocyte density was mostly by the glomerular volume and The had fewer and glomeruli and similar podocyte number per glomerulus as the in the However, the size of was the of the nephron number and podometrics be preliminary with further In this is the first report of and direct between the number of NSG and podocyte number per podocyte and the of glomerular volume by podocytes. the findings from a might different findings in other findings suggest that adult kidneys with nephron and podocyte number had nephron and podocyte endowment at fewer nephrons and podocytes in adult is from human and animal studies that to the can result in low nephron J.F. Brenner B.M. et of fetal and health kidney development and of hypertension and kidney Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus Google et kidney implications for health in adult 2008; PubMed Scopus Google J.F. of blood pressure and renal the Brenner and The Scholar in with low and we have recently that maternal hypoxia and low protein diet can result in both low nephron endowment and low podocyte et hypoxia low podocyte endowment in but female 2020; PubMed Scopus Google L.A. J. K. et al.Podocyte endowment and the of adult size kidney J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2021; PubMed Scopus (5) Google Scholar The findings the of and health in nephron and podocyte endowment and protect against the development of hypertension and kidney at this we have direct other than maternal and of studies in this are The study also differences in podometrics between cortical and with age and These findings in the interpretation of podometric in clinical when is to glomerular cortical a for study from The the other We to the at and the for help with the This was by for the of for and and the and and and and the and the and the the and to this to this with in and and podometric of podocyte endowment a to glomerular this to a that the podocytes from and juxtamedullary glomeruli are per but to as age and This that zonal glomerular to PDF