Retinoic acid improves recovery after nephrectomy and decreases renal TGF-β1 expression. Gender-related effects.

End-stage renal disease is a cause for death worldwide. Renal transplant is a therapeutic alternative, restricted by the scant number of donors. Function of the donor kidney is under risk of adverse circumstances such as fibrosis, where profibrotic effect of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) plays a key role.

The tight junction proteins claudin-7 and -8 display a different subcellular localization at Henle's loops and collecting ducts of rabbit kidney.

Background: The tight junction (TJ) regulates the passage of ions and molecules through the paracellular pathway. In multicellular organisms, epithelial sheets function as a barrier between a variety of environments and the internal media. Therefore, TJs are required to control the passage of diverse molecules in different epithelia.

Beneficial effect of retinoic acid on the outcome of experimental acute renal failure.

Background: Retinoic acid (RA) exerts beneficial effects on vascular remodelling and experimental nephritis, and plays a role in kidney development. Pathological changes caused by acute renal failure (ARF) result in high mortality. We determined whether RA ameliorates ARF-induced pathology caused by potassium dichromate (PD).