Renin immunofluorescence in the proestrus rat uterus

The juxtaglomerular cells, modified smooth muscle cells of the afferent arteriole of the kidney, have been historically designated as the locus of renin production. Renin activates the renin‐angiotensin‐aldosterone response to increase blood volume and pressure. It is also a hox gene product that is important in the normal development of abdominal structures. When GFP‐renin constructs are transfected into the mouse embryo, expression is seen in adrenal, renal, and gonadal arteries, and placenta. Postnatally, renin continues to be expressed in the kidney and the ovarian/uterine artery system in females but not expressed in the testicular artery in males. The amount of renin expressed varies with the stages of the estrous cycle. This project uses mouse anti‐renin antibody to locate renin in the proestrus rat uterus. Fluorescence was found in arterioles in the myometrium. This renin activity may be a factor in states such as toxemia of pregnancy. Support from Math & Natural Sciences Department of D'Youville College and acknowledgment to Drs. Ken Gross and Craig Jones, Roswell Park Cancer Institute.