BPoD has moved!

BPoD has recently changed our domain name - we can now be found at bpod.org.uk

Please update your bookmarks!

Now in our 13th year of bringing you beautiful imagery from biomedical science every day

Search the archive of over 4000 images

Blood Switch
07 May 2017

Blood Switch

Over 500 million adults suffer with chronic kidney disease worldwide. With an increase in conditions such as diabetes and obesity, as well as an ageing population, more people are at risk. When looking into mechanisms involved in renal failure caused by ischaemia [insufficient oxygen], researchers found that kidney damage could be prevented in young rats by ischaemic preconditioning – short periods of restricted oxygen that build up tolerance against further ischaemia. Under these conditions, ‘weaker’ mitochondria (the cells’ ‘batteries’) within the kidney tissue were destroyed by the cells’ quality-control system (autophagy), leaving only healthy mitochondria. But in older rat kidney there’s an increased level of acetylated proteins (shown here in green) and the ‘weaker’ mitochondria aren’t cleared up and so accumulate, preventing protection from ischaemia. This information provides insight into why treatment can fail to help older people with kidney disease, and could aid development of more targeted therapies.

Written by Katie Panteli

Search The Archive

Submit An Image

Follow on Tumblr

Follow on Instagram

What is BPoD?

BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

Read More

BPoD is also available in Catalan at www.bpod.cat with translations by the University of Valencia.