Victor E. Pollak

The Distribution of Tamm Horsfall Mucoprotein (Uromucoid) in the Human Nephron

Using an immunofluorescence technique, the distribution of uromucoid was studied in 0.5 µ frozen substituted sections of biopsies from 17 kidneys. Uromucoid was demonstrated most fr

Circadian rhythms of creatinine and electrolyte excretion in healthy pregnant women

Abstract Cireadian rhythms of urine flow, creatinine, sodium, chloride, potassium, and osmolar excretion were studied in 11 healthy pregnant women. The effects of posture and activity were tested by studying subjects in bed in lateral recumbency, ambulant while normally active, and while awake and upright all night. On recumbency days all measured rhythms were constant from subject to subject with daytime peaks as in nonpregnant individuals. On activity days, however, rhythms of volume and sodium excretion varied: 2 had diurnal peaks of both urine flow and sodium excretion; nocturnal peaks of flow alone occurred in 5; and nocturnal peak of sodium excretion alone in 1 and of both flow and sodium excretion in 3 subjects. These nocturnal peaks did not appear when the same subjects were recumbent all day, nor most of the time in 2 subjects kept awake and upright all night, suggesting that posture plays a major role in their production.

Quantitative Enzyme Patterns in the Nephron of the Healthy Human Kidney

The activity of LDH, MDH, G1DH, GOT, GPT, and CA was measured in the glomeruli, proximal convolutions, distal convolutions, medullary rays, outer zone of the medulla, inner zone of the medulla, and pa

The Renal Changes in NZB/B1 and NZB-NZW F1 Hybrid Mice. Light and Electron Microscopic Studies

Striking renal involvement occurs in NZB and particularly in NZB-NZW F1 hybrid mice. In this paper we describe the morphologic changes observed by light and electron microscopy in the kidneys of both strains during a study of the natural history of the disease. A semiquantitative analysis of the histologic findings was made and was compared with previously published observations in human systemic lupus erythematosus. In the NZB strain, normal kidneys were found in 30 mice of all ages up to 96 weeks; glomerulitis, in which intraglomerular thrombi were often observed, in 19; and glomerulonephritis in four. In the NZB-NZW F1 hybrid, nine kidneys were considered normal (10–28 weeks of age); five had glomerulitis (32–42 weeks); and 17 had glomerulonephritis (34–84 weeks). Morphologically, there are definite similarities between human lupus glomerulitis and the disease seen in the NZB mouse; and, between human lupus glomerulonephritis and that seen in the NZB-NZW F1 hybrid.

A Critical Evaluation of the Indirect Basophil Degranulation Test.

Summary and conclusions The “indirect” basophil degranulation technique was evaluated by replicate “blind” analyses of 8 sera. The results indicate that degranulation of basophils was a random phenomenon which was not influenced significantly by the presence or the absence of the antigen in the system or by the presumed presence or absence of antibody in the serum. We would like to thank Dr. Max Samter and his colleagues in the Allergy Clinic, Research and Educational Hospitals, for collecting sera used in this study.

The Effects of Antithymocyte Globulin in NZB-NZW F1 Mice∗

Summary Antithymocyte globulin was administered to 33 NZB-NZW F1 hybrid mice ranging from 36 to 47 weeks of age at the start of treatment. Thirty-one age matched female controls were studied. The ATG had a deleterious effect on survival, but no marked effect on renal histopathologic changes. The ATG did appear to prevent the development of fibrinoid arteritis. We speculate that the decrease in survival rate in the treated animals was related to an exacerbation of an underlying viral disorder.

Serum Proteins in NZB/B1 and Related Strains of Mice.∗

Summary Serum gamma globulin levels of young NZW and NZB-NZC mice were found to be similar to those of 4 control inbred strains. Serum gamma globulin levels of young NZC and NZB-NZW mice were somewhat higher than those of the controls, whereas the levels were significantly higher in young NZB mice. In all strains studied the gamma and beta globulin levels were significantly higher at 16 to 19 months than at 3 or 9 months. We wish to thank Mrs. Susan Vanek and Miss Mary Ellen Wilsterman for technical assistance.

Effects of Neonatal Thymectomy on Spontaneous Murine Autoimmune Disease.

Summary Thymectomies were done on the first day of life in NZB-NZW and NZB-NZC F1 hybrid mice. Sham thymectomized and nonthymectomized animals served as controls. Survival was somewhat shortened in thymectomized animals. The appearance of antinuclear antibodies, but not of Coombs positive hemolytic anemia was accelerated. There was little effect of thymectomy on the morphology of spleen and lymph nodes. When considered in relation to recent work on the bursa of Fabricius the results suggest that the mammalian analog of the bursa, rather than the thymus, may play a more important role in the pathogenesis of the murine autoimmune disease.