STEREOLOGICAL ESTIMATION OF THE ABSOLUTE NUMBER OF GLOMERULI IN THE KIDNEYS OF LAMBS

An association between the arrest of renal development and intra-uteri ne growth retardation (IUGR) has been demonstrated in human brings and it has been suggested that the same defect may occur in the kidneys o f lambs affected by IUGR. Using design-based stereological methods, th e physical disector and Cavalieri's principle, smaller absolute number s of glomeruli were found in all six IUGR lambs studied with a low bir thweight and in two of six control lambs studied with a normal birthwe ight than in other lambs with a normal birthweight. There was no diffe rence in absolute numbers of glomeruli between twin births and singlet ons. The absolute numbers of glomeruli in three stillborn lambs were d istributed among results obtained from the normal and IUGR lambs in ac cordance with their individual bodyweights. IUGR had a profound detrim ental effect on the renal development of the lambs.