The effect of diet and of unilateral nephrectomy on the composition of the kidney.

In rats, unilateral nephrectomy is followed within 36 hours by a fall in the DNA concentration and a rise in the RNA/DNA and protein/DNA ratios in the remaining kidney. The changes in DNA concentration and in RNA/DNA ratio take place re gardless of whether the animal is fed or fasted postoperatively; the increase in protein/DNA ratio takes place only if the animal is fed. Changes similar to but not identical with those produced by unilateral nephrectomy can be produced in the kidneys of intact rats by administering ammonium chloride in the diet for 6 days in amounts sufficient to cause acidosis. Equivalent amounts of sodium chloride or ammonium citrate do not produce these effects.