According to a number of studies, it is known that a woman's diet during pregnancy may be one of factors in the violation of nephrogenesis. Obesity in pregnancy may increase markers of fibrosis and the accumulation of extracellular matrix in the kidneys. The purpose of the study is to investigate the dynamics of the content of collagen fibers and myofibroblasts in the cortical and medulla of the kidneys of rat offspring. Materials and methods. The research was based according to the international bioethical regulations, 120 albino rats were involved in the study. The first group is experimental (MC-1): rats born to females with an experimental metabolic syndrome and after the start of self-feeding received a high-calorie diet up to 120 days of age. The second group is experimental (MC-2): rats that were obtained from females with an experimental metabolic syndrome, but after switching to self-feeding received a standard diet. The third group is a control group of rats with a standard diet and water regime ad libitum. Mason-tricolor histochemical staining was used to determine collagen fibers, and immunohistochemical reaction using mouse Smooth Muscle Actin monoclonal antibodies (αSMA) was used to detect myofibroblasts. Results and discussion. It was found that the content of collagen fibers in the kidneys of the studied groups gradually increases with increasing of observation period, reaching maximum values on the 120th day of the study, with a statistically significant predominance of values in animals of group MC-1 over control animals in cortical and cerebral matter. Also, control and experimental groups are characterized by a gradual increase in the relative area occupied by αSMA+ cells from the total area of the organ, with maximum values at the end of the study. At the same time, there was a statistically significant predominance of the experimental groups MC-1 and MC-2 in the cortical substance in comparison with control animals. Conclusion. The gradual growth of collagen fibers in the cortical and cerebral substance is probably associated with an increase in the content of αSMA+ myofibroblasts, which according to research are markers of fibrosis

Keywords: metabolic syndrome, kidneys, rats, collagen fibers, myofibroblasts

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