Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Center of Biomedical Education and Research (ZBAF), Faculty of Health-School of Medicine, Witten/Herdecke University, 58453 Witten, Germany.
Department of Internal Medicine IV, Hematology and Oncology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle, Germany.
Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Sep 3;25(17):9549. doi: 10.3390/ijms25179549.
The hormone renin is produced in the kidney by the juxtaglomerular cells. It is the rate-limiting factor in the circulating renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), which contributes to electrolyte, water, and blood pressure homeostasis. In the kidneys, the distal tubule and the collecting duct are the key target segments for RAAS. The collecting duct is important for urine production and also for salt, water, and acid-base homeostasis. The critical functional role of the collecting duct is mediated by the principal and the intercalated cells and is regulated by different hormones like aldosterone and vasopressin. The collecting duct is not only a target for hormones but also a place of hormone production. It is accepted that renin is produced in the collecting duct at a low level. Several studies have described that the cells in the collecting duct exhibit plasticity properties because the ratio of principal to intercalated cells can change under specific circumstances. This narrative review focuses on two aspects of the collecting duct that remain somehow aside from mainstream research, namely the cell plasticity and the renin expression. We discuss the link between these collecting duct features, which we see as a promising area for future research given recent findings.
激素肾素由肾小球旁细胞在肾脏中产生。它是循环肾素-血管紧张素-醛固酮系统（RAAS）中的限速因素，有助于电解质、水和血压的平衡。在肾脏中，远曲小管和集合管是 RAAS 的关键靶段。集合管对于尿液的产生以及盐、水和酸碱平衡很重要。集合管的关键功能作用是由主细胞和闰细胞介导的，并受到醛固酮和血管加压素等不同激素的调节。集合管不仅是激素的靶器官，也是激素产生的地方。人们认为肾素在集合管中以低水平产生。有几项研究描述了集合管细胞具有可塑性，因为在特定情况下，主细胞与闰细胞的比例可以发生变化。本综述重点讨论了两个方面的集合管，这些方面在主流研究之外，即细胞可塑性和肾素表达。鉴于最近的发现，我们讨论了这些集合管特征之间的联系，我们认为这是未来研究的一个有前途的领域。
