Renal pacemaker ion channels of the porcine and human multicalyceal upper urinary tract

What is it about?

Renal pacemaker activity triggers upper urinary tract persitalsis that propels wastes from the kidney to the bladder. Here, we assayed porcine and human renal pacemaker tissues and demonstrate for the first time the expression of hyper-polarization activated cation channels and T-type calcium channels, two ion channels known to underlie pacemaker activity. We utilize anatomical, immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent analyses to elucidate this expression pattern.

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Why is it important?

Congenital upper urinary tract defects are the leading cause of pediatric renal failure. Understanding the processes driving upper urinary tract peristalsis remain essential for developing therapies to address obstructive uropathies. Here, we discovered that porcine and human renal pacemakers express ion channels known to drive pacemaker activity, and implicate a potential role for these channels in driving upper urinary tract peristalsis. Thus, our study begins to shed light into the potential mechanisms underlying coordinated upper urinary tract peristalsis in higher order mammalian species.