Geographic variation and plasticity in renal function in the white-footed mouse, Peromyscus Leucopus
Oswald C. 1998. Geographic variation and plasticity in renal function in the white-footed mouse, Peromyscus Leucopus. Journal of Mammalogy. 79(4):1103-1110
Both genetic differences and developmental plasticity contribute to intraspecific variation in renal function in white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus). Field-caught mice from relatively dry habitat in South Dakota produced more concentrated urine following 24 h of water deprivation than mice from moist habitat in Pennsylvania. Studies of mice reared in the laboratory demonstrated that the high urine-concentrating ability of mice from South Dakota was fixed genetically and did not increase in either adults or juveniles when chronically water-restricted. In contrast, young mice from Pennsylvania that were chronically water-restricted had significantly greater urine-concentrating ability than controls. Adults from Pennsylvania did not show that plasticity. Differences in urine-concentrating ability were not due to differences in relative medullary thickness of the kidney. Binding of vasopressin in renal tissue was significantly greater in field-caught mice from South Dakota and in young water-restricted mice derived from Pennsylvania.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Oswald, Christine
- Units
- WICA
- Keywords
- developmental plasticity, genetic differences, Mammals, urine analysis, urine concentration