Blood cyclosporine level soon after kidney transplantation is a major determinant of rejection: insights from the Mycophenolate Steroid-Sparing Trial.

Target organs express antigens directly recognized by antigen-specific T cells, thereby precipitating rejection. When early T-cell activation is inhibited, there is a low risk of rejection. We sought to determine the predictive values of serial posttransplant blood cyclosporine trough (C(0)) concentrations to minimize the risk for a first rejection episode compared with 2-hour postdose (C(2)) drug concentrations.

Numerical analysis of blood flow in reconstructed glomerular capillary segments.

Poiseuille's formula is conventionally used to calculate hydraulic resistance of blood capillaries. This law, however, applies to tubes with constant diameter and straight axis. Since blood capillaries, especially in the glomerular microcirculation, are far from having these features, we wanted to estimate the effect of the shape of glomerular capillary segments on the calculation of their hydraulic resistance in comparison to the values obtained with Poiseuille's formula.

Effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition on glomerular capillary wall ultrastructure in MWF/Ztm rats.

Previous studies have documented that treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors prevents spontaneous proteinuria and enhances the glomerular ultrafiltration coefficient in male MWF/Ztm rats. The aim of this study was to study whether these beneficial effects of ACE inhibitors on glomerular capillary wall function are derived from the preservation of its ultrastructure. Conventional morphometrical analysis of kidney tissue, by light and electron microscopy, was used to quantify glomerular structural changes in the male MWF/Ztm rats treated with the ACE inhibitor cilazapril for 2 and 6 months and in age-matched untreated controls.