RUI: Kidney Function and Osmoregulation During Avian Embryonic Development

本研究旨在研究鸟类胚胎发育过程中肾脏功能和渗透调节。由于传统的输注和清除研究需要有创性的母体手术和导尿管，目前对胚胎/胎儿羊膜肾脏功能的了解基本上仅限于一种哺乳动物。本实验旨在利用鸡胚作为早期、中期和晚期肾脏功能的通用模型。该系统通过在孵化的第二天在蛋壳上开一个小窗口，在发育阶段使用微技术测定肾小球滤过率、电解质、尿流量和室容积，可以很容易地接触到胚胎和胚胎外液体室。在一组胚胎中，将确定只有一个肾脏对发育的影响。由于本科理科学生将参与该项目的各个方面，墨菲博士将提供一个刺激的氛围，鼓励这些学生追求高年级和研究生的基础科学研究。

This proposal is to study kidney function and osmoregulation during avian embryonic development. Current knowledge of kidney function in embryonic/fetal amniotes has been restricted to basically one species of mammals due to the difficulty of invasive maternal surgery and catheterization required for conventional infusion and clearance studies. The proposed experiments are designed to take advantage of the chick embryo as a versatile accessible model for kidney function druing early development, mid devlopment and late development. This system allows easy accessibility to the embryo and extraembryonic fluid compartments by making a small window in the eggshell on the second day of incubation, and using microtechniques to determine glomerular filtration rates, electrolytes, urine flow and compartmental volumes during the developmental stages. In one group of embryos, the effects on development of having only one kidney will be determined. Since undergraduate science students will be involved in all aspects of this project, Dr. Murphy will provide a stimulating atmosphere to encourage these students to pursue upper division and graduate studies in the basic sciences.