Abstract |
Three chemicals, known either to alter renal development when administered during fetal development or to affect renal function when administered to adult rats, were administered to Sprague-Dawley rats at critical periods of renal development. Chlorambucil (CHL) was administered ip on d 11 of gestation at doses of 0.3 and 6 mg/kg; nitrofen (2,4-dichlorophenyl p-nitrophenyl ether) (NIT) was given po on d 8-16 of gestation at 0.4.17, 12.5, and 25 mg/kg.d and mercuric chloride (MER) was given sc on postnatal d 1 at 0.14, and 28 micrograms/pup. To assess the effects of these toxicants on the functional development of the kidneys, a diuresis test with and without antidiuretic hormone was applied on postnatal d 3 (PD 3); a hydropenia test on PD 6; and kidney weights, glomerular counts in midhilar cross sections, and the specific activity of renal alkaline phosphatase were determined on PD 3 and 6. |