SUN-131 IS PODOCYTE NUMBER AT BIRTH A RISK FACTOR FOR RENAL PATHOPHYSIOLOGY IN LATER LIFE?

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a serious public health burden. A major risk factor for CKD is low birth weight, which programmes a low glomerular endowment. Podocytes are key components of the glomerulus and podocyte injury and loss has been linked to the development and progression of CKD. Given that both glomerular number and podocyte number play pivotal roles in the development of CKD we utilised a mouse model of low birth weight and low nephron number to investigate podocyte number in the early postnatal period and whether podocyte number is associated with increased risk of renal pathophysiology in adulthood.