Kevin M. Bennett

We report MRI tools to measure and map single-nephron function in the isolated, perfused rat kidney. We used imaging tracers to identify nephrons throughout the kidney and to measure the delivery and filtration of the tracers at the location of the glomeruli. With this technique, we directly measured physiological parameters including estimated single-nephron glomerular filtration rate throughout the kidney. This work provides a foundation for new studies to simultaneously map the function of large numbers of nephrons.