QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Ritskes-Hoitinga, J. Articles by Beynen, A. C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Ritskes-Hoitinga, J. Articles by Beynen, A. C.

Long-Term Phosphorus Restriction Prevents Corticomedullary Nephrocalcinosis and Sustains Reproductive Performance but Delays Bone Mineralization in Rats^{1, 2,}

J. Ritskes-Hoitinga^*,3, J.N.J.J. Mathot^*, A. G. Lemmens^*, L.H.J.C. Danse, G. W. Meijer^*, G. van Tintelen^** and A. C. Beynen^*,

^* Department of Laboratory Animal Science, State University, 3508 TD Utrecht National Institute of Public Health and Environmental Protection, 3720 BA Bilthoven ^** Laboratory Animals Center, Agricultural University, 6700 EV Wageningen Department of Human Nutrition, Agricultural University, 6700 EV Wageningen, The Netherlands

In a long-term experiment with three successive generations of rats, the influence of dietary phosphorus restriction (2 instead of 4 g phosphorus/kg diet) on nephrocalcinosis, reproduction and bone mineralization was studied. Nephrocalcinosis in female rats, as based on kidney calcium concentration and histological examination, was prevented by phosphorus restriction. The low phosphorus diet caused reduced femur concentrations of magnesium, calcium and phosphorus in rats of the first and second generation aged 4 to 12 wk. The low phosphorus diet resulted in lower plasma phosphorus concentrations. In the kidneys of female rats, immediately after lactation, a higher degree of tubular hyperplasia was seen after the low phosphorus diet was fed. Reproductive performance was not affected by phosphorus restriction. We conclude that 0.2% phosphorus in the diet prevents nephrocalcinosis in female rats while it sustains reproduction but delays bone mineralization.

KEY WORDS: • rats • kidney • reproduction • nephrocalcinosis • bone development

¹ J. Ritskes-Hoitinga was supported by Unilever Research Laboratorium, Vlaardingen, The Netherlands.

² Excerpt of the Ph.D. thesis, submitted by J. Ritskes-Hoitinga, entitled "Diet and Nephrocalcinosis in the Laboratory Rat," Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, The Netherlands (1992).

³ To whom correspondence should be addressed: Unilever Research Laboratorium, P.O. Box 114, 3130 AC Vlaardingen, The Netherlands.

Manuscript received 1 June 1992. Revision accepted 20 November 1992.