Central Neural Control of the Kidney

This study was undertaken to locate and characterise§the neurons in §the central nervous system that project to the§kidney. A retrograde §transsynaptic viral tracer was injected into the§kidney of rats and §traced through the neuraxis to locate these neurons.§ The results §show that a polysynaptic neural pathway extends from§multiple §forebrain sites including several novel autonomic§sites, and projects §successively through the brainstem, spinal cord and§peripheral ganglia §en route to the kidney. This pathway is activated in§response to §stimuli associated with the regulation of body fluid§balance. Both §classical amino acid transmitters, and neuropeptides§likely mediate §these effects. This work lays the foundation for§potential therapeutics §in the treatment conditions of renal failure in which§the central §circuitry projecting to the renal nerves is compromised. This study was undertaken to locate and characterise§the neurons in §the central nervous system that project to the§kidney. A retrograde §transsynaptic viral tracer was injected into the§kidney of rats and §traced through the neuraxis to locate these neurons.§The results §show that a polysynaptic neural pathway extends from§multiple §forebrain sites including several novel autonomic§sites, and projects §successively through the brainstem, spinal cord and§peripheral ganglia §en route to the kidney. This pathway is activated in§response to §stimuli associated with the regulation of body fluid§balance. Both §classical amino acid transmitters, and neuropeptides§likely mediate §these effects. This work lays the foundation for§potential therapeutics §in the treatment conditions of renal failure in which§the central §circuitry projecting to the renal nerves is compromised.