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AN INVESTIGATION OF FACTORS AFFECTING THE DITRIBUTION OF CALCIUM IN THE HUMAN KIDNEY 1
Author(s) -
Cooke S. A. R.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
british journal of urology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.773
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1464-410X
pISSN - 0007-1331
DOI - 10.1111/j.1464-410x.1971.tb12016.x
Subject(s) - calcium , medulla , kidney , medullary cavity , endocrinology , renal papilla , medicine , distribution (mathematics) , human kidney , physiology , biology , chemistry , mathematical analysis , mathematics
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS In a study of 152 human kidneys, 139 obtained at necropsy and 13 of opertaion, the presece of a calcium converntion gradient in the renal medulla, and the size of this gradient in different kidbeys, are confirmed. Evidence is proveded to suggest that at least the greater part of the calcium in the renal panilla is firmly bound. The distribution of calcium in the normal kidney studied at becrosy is defined, and it is shown that this discribution is unaltered in th presence of a variety of common local and systemic disease processes. It is concluded that the calcium distribution is largely determined prior to the erminal illness, and is not affected by the pathological changes associated with that illness. The size of the medullary concentraion gradient does not correlate with age in adults, and no gradient is present in the kidneys of the young children analysed in this study at necropsy. The distribution of calcium is shown to be similar in the two sexes. Hypercalcámia is assoicated with high concentrations is shown to be similar in the two sexes. Hypercalcámia is associated with high concentrations of calcium throughout the kindey, pariticularly the cortex and outer medulla. It is suggested that the filtered load of calcium may affect the amount of calcium in the papilla, but is unlikely to be the only factor determining its concentration. The significance of the calcium concertraion gradient in the renal medulla is discussed in terms of both the physiology of the kidney, and pathogeneis of papillary calcificaiton and renal medulla is discussed in terms of both the physiology of the kidney, and the pathogenesis of papillary calcification and renal stone formation.