Distribution of renin‐containing cells in the developing human kidney: an immunocytochemical study

ABSTRACT Objective To characterize the pattern of renin containing cells (RCC) within the human kidney between 20 weeks of gestation and 6 months of postnatal life. Design Descriptive study using paraffin‐embedded blocks of kidney stored following postmortem examination. Methods Sections of kidney were stained immunocytochemically using an antibody to human renin; the proportion of RCC within each of three zones (superficial, middle and deep) of the cortex, and their anatomical relation to individual glomeruli were determined. The cases were divided into five groups for analysis to gestational or postnatal age. Results Fetal RCC were usually at the vascular pole of the most mature glomeruli within the deeper areas of the cortex and were occasionally located within glomeruli. This distribution persisted until birth, even when the kidney was histologically mature. By contrast there were fewer RCC in neonatal and infant kidneys and, as in adult kidneys, these were located predominantly in the superficial cortex. Conclusion The change in RCC distribution around the time of normal birth may relate to the transition to independent renal function. The location and density of RCC during fetal life may influence renal perfusion and amniotic fluid production.