Biomaterial Database

Glomerular number and size in relation to age, kidney weight, and body surface in normal man. 1992

J R Nyengaard, and T F Bendtsen

Stereological Research Laboratory, Aarhus University, Denmark.

The number and size of glomeruli in normal, mature human kidneys were estimated by a direct and unbiased stereological method, the fractionator. The number was 617,000 on average, and the mean size 6.0 M microns3. Both glomerular number and size showed significant negative correlation to age and significant positive correlation to kidney weight. Apparently, humans loose glomeruli with age. Body surface area correlated positively to kidney weight and total glomerular volume but not to number of glomeruli. Body surface area correlates significantly with metabolic rate (Robertson and Reid, Lancet, 1: 940-943, 1952). Thus, intraspecies adaptation of kidney filtration capacity to the metabolic demand is performed by changing the size of glomeruli, i.e., the number of glomeruli in individuals of a given species is independent of the metabolic rate.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007678	Kidney Glomerulus	A cluster of convoluted capillaries beginning at each nephric tubule in the kidney and held together by connective tissue.	Glomerulus, Kidney
D008297	Male		Males
D008657	Metabolic Clearance Rate	Volume of biological fluid completely cleared of drug metabolites as measured in unit time. Elimination occurs as a result of metabolic processes in the kidney, liver, saliva, sweat, intestine, heart, brain, or other site.	Total Body Clearance Rate,Clearance Rate, Metabolic,Clearance Rates, Metabolic,Metabolic Clearance Rates,Rate, Metabolic Clearance,Rates, Metabolic Clearance
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D009929	Organ Size	The measurement of an organ in volume, mass, or heaviness.	Organ Volume,Organ Weight,Size, Organ,Weight, Organ
D001830	Body Surface Area	The two dimensional measure of the outer layer of the body.	Area, Body Surface,Areas, Body Surface,Body Surface Areas,Surface Area, Body,Surface Areas, Body
D005260	Female		Females
D005919	Glomerular Filtration Rate	The volume of water filtered out of plasma through glomerular capillary walls into Bowman's capsules per unit of time. It is considered to be equivalent to INULIN clearance.	Filtration Rate, Glomerular,Filtration Rates, Glomerular,Glomerular Filtration Rates,Rate, Glomerular Filtration,Rates, Glomerular Filtration
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293	Adolescent	A person 13 to 18 years of age.	Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths