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Composition of Fluid in Twelve Cysts of a Polycystic Kidney

New England Journal of MedicinePublished 30 October 1969
Kenneth D. Gardner
Citations82
SJR quartileQ1
SJR score19.08
SNIP13.47

TL;DR

Analyses of the chemical composition of fluid in 12 cysts of a polycystic kidney disclosed marked variations in the concentrations of selected cations, glucose, urea and creatinine, suggesting that the cyst walls were functioning as either proximal or distal nephrons.

Abstract

Analyses of the chemical composition of fluid in 12 cysts of a polycystic kidney disclosed marked variations in the concentrations of selected cations, glucose, urea and creatinine. The concentrations of sodium ranged from 3.1 to 150.0 mEq per liter, of potassium from 4.6 to 58.1 mEq per liter, of hydrogen from 13 to 9800 nanoEq per liter and of creatinine from 11 to 87 mg per 100 ml. The concentrations of sodium varied directly with those of calcium and inversely with those of potassium, hydrogen, ammonium and magnesium, suggesting that the cyst walls were functioning as either proximal or distal nephrons. In cysts whose contents reflected distal tubular activity, amino acids contributed 50 to 100 mOsm per kilogram of water to the osmotic activity of the fluid.

Keywords

MedicineBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology