Development of renal function in the fetus: a review.

This review concentrated mainly on studies of intrauterine renal function carried out in chronically-catheterized fetal sheep. In sheep, as in primates, nephrogenesis is complete before birth. Studies in the rat and neonatal puppy provide insight into the functional development of the kidney, because these species are immature at birth and there is considerable postnatal renal development. Studies of the ovine fetus provide insight into the physiological role(s) of the kidneys during intrauterine life, albeit modified by changes related to maturation.