Abstract
Through regulation of the extracellular fluid volume, the kidneys provide important long-term regulation of blood pressure. At the level of the individual functional unit (the nephron), pressure and flow control involves two different mechanisms that both produce oscillations. The nephrons are arranged in a complex branching structure that delivers blood to each nephron and, at the same time, provides a basis for an interaction between adjacent nephrons. The functional consequences of this interaction are not understood, and at present it is not possible to address this question experimentally. We provide experimental data and a new modeling approach to clarify this problem. To resolve details of microvascular structure, we collected 3D data from more than 150 afferent arterioles in an optically cleared rat kidney. Using these results together with published micro-computed tomography (μCT) data we develop an algorithm for generating the renal arterial network. We then introduce a mathematical model describing blood flow dynamics and nephron to nephron interaction in the network. The model includes an implementation of electrical signal propagation along a vascular wall. Simulation results show that the renal arterial architecture plays an important role in maintaining adequate pressure levels and the self-sustained dynamics of nephrons.
Highlights
An important feature of the vascular system is its highly branched structure
Disturbances of kidney function can cause hypertension, a prevalent disease in modern societies. The kidneys protect their own function against short-term variations in blood pressure at the level of the individual unit
It has become clear that there is an interaction between nephrons, and that this interaction is mediated through the arterial network of the kidney
Summary
An important feature of the vascular system is its highly branched structure. It is assumed that the branching geometry of blood vessels is governed by defined principles [1,2,3]. Tree-like structures of arterial systems have been a subject of experimental and theoretical studies related to vascular topology and flow [4,5,6]. Structural connectivity in vascular networks directly influences their functional state, defining how much oxygen and nutrients are delivered to different regions of the organism. The network experiences local responses affecting the local blood flow and altering the overall state of the network [7,8,9]. The topology of the vascular network is an important determinant of the consequences of pathological processes in the vessels [10]
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