NEPHROGENESIS GROWTH FACTORS GENES EXPRESSION AND AUTOPHAGY PROCESS IN 14-GD MALE MICE FETUSES PROGRAMMED BY LOW PROTEIN DIET IN UTERI

In adult male rodent progeny from dams submitted to gestational protein restriction, we have demonstrated a significant reduction (27%) of the nephron unit number. Also, during nephrogenesis, previous studies have shown that the number of stem cells in the cap around the ureteral bud tip determines the number of nephrons to be formed, and the transcriptional regulator Six2 has a regulatory function on progenitor self-renewal cap cells.