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METHODS FOR STUDYING THE PHYSIOLOGY OF KIDNEY OXYGENATION
Author(s) -
Evans Roger G,
Gardiner Bruce S,
Smith David W,
O’Connor Paul M
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
clinical and experimental pharmacology and physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1440-1681
pISSN - 0305-1870
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1681.2008.05063.x
Subject(s) - kidney , oxygenation , kidney disease , oxygen tension , physiology , medicine , oxygen , chemistry , organic chemistry
SUMMARY1 An improved understanding of the regulation of kidney oxygenation has the potential to advance preventative, diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for kidney disease. Here, we review the strengths and limitations of available and emerging methods for studying kidney oxygen status. 2 To fully characterize kidney oxygen handling, we must quantify multiple parameters, including renal oxygen delivery (DO 2 ) and consumption (VO 2 ), as well as oxygen tension ( P o 2 ). Ideally, these parameters should be quantified both at the whole‐organ level and within specific vascular, tubular and interstitial compartments. 3 Much of our current knowledge of kidney oxygen physiology comes from established techniques that allow measurement of global kidney DO 2 and VO 2 , or local tissue P o 2 . When used in tandem, these techniques can help us understand oxygen mass balance in the kidney. P o 2 can be resolved to specific tissue compartments in the superficial cortex, but not deep below the kidney surface. We have limited ability to measure local kidney tissue DO 2 and VO 2 . 4 Mathematical modelling has the potential to provide new insights into the physiology of kidney oxygenation, but is limited by the quality of the information such models are based on. 5 Various imaging techniques and other emerging technologies have the potential to allow P o 2 mapping throughout the kidney and/or spatial resolution of P o 2 in specific renal tissues, even in humans. All currently available methods have serious limitations, but with further refinement should provide a pathway through which data obtained from experimental animal models can be related to humans in the clinical setting.