RUI: Effect of Dietary Protein on Structure and Function of the Avian Nephron

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Many birds change during growth or seasonal cycles from eating diets low in protein, such as seeds, to diets high in protein, such as insects. In mammals, changing to a high protein diet induces a number of changes in the kidneys, including enlargement of the organs and changes in the production and composition of the urine. In humans, these changes are important contributors to the progression of renal failure, and there is concern about these consequences also associated with the current popularity of high protein/low carbohydrate dieting. Birds possess many of the same elements to their anatomy and physiology as are suggested to be involved in the mammalian response to eating protein; however, birds lack others of these elements. Thus, birds can serve as a natural model for testing theories about the links between diet and consequences for the kidneys. In the proposed studies, Dr. Goldstein will explore the ways in which diet influences the responsiveness of the kidneys to hormones released in response to feeding. He will do so by raising bobwhite quail on high-vs.-low protein diets, and then exploring organ structure, kidney function, and the biochemical responses of kidney cells and tissues. These studies will help to define the physiology of a bird (the bobwhite quail) that is valuable both as a domestic and a wildlife species. They will also clarify assumptions and hypotheses proposed for mammalian kidneys, and thereby help to elucidate the link between dietary protein and the progression of renal failure.