Erythropoiesis in Anephric Man *

Abstract

Recent progress in the understanding of the physiology of erythropoiesis has led to definition of the kidney's importance as a source of erythro- poietin. Although Erslev (1, 2) did not docu- ment erythropoietin production in rabbit kidney in vivo, Jacobson, Goldwasser, Fried, and Plzak (3), Reissmann, Nomura, Gunn, and Brosius (4), and Naets and Heuse (5, 6) clearly managed to define the kidney as an important regulator of erythropoiesis in rats and dogs. The studies in the dog were very convincing, for Naets (5) de- scribed nearly total and permanent erythroid aplasia after bilateral nephrectomy.