Mechanisms of impaired nephrogenesis with fetal growth restriction: altered renal transcription and growth factor expression.

Objective: Maternal food restriction during pregnancy results in growth-restricted newborns and reduced glomerular number, contributing to programmed offspring hypertension. We investigated whether reduced nephrogenesis may be programmed by dysregulation of factors controlling ureteric bud branching and mesenchyme to epithelial transformation.

Study Design: At 10 to 20 days' gestation, Sprague Dawley pregnant rats (n = 6/group) received ad libitum food; food-restricted rats were 50% food restricted.