Loss of sodium chloride co-transporter impairs the outgrowth of the renal distal convoluted tubule during renal development

Loss-of-function mutations in the sodium chloride (NaCl) co-transporter (NCC) of the renal distal convoluted tubule (DCT) cause Gitelman syndrome with hypokalemic alkalosis, hypomagnesemia and hypocalciuria. Since Gitelman patients are usually diagnosed around adolescence, we tested the idea that a progressive regression of the DCT explains the late clinical onset of the syndrome.NCC wild-type and knockout (ko) mice were studied at Days 1, 4 and...