Editorial: Genetic Kidney Diseases of Childhood

[摘要] Human kidneys are most spectacular organs. They have a busy life with filtering well over 100 liters of fluid every day and a few million liters over the course of a life. Not only is proper renal function essential for water and electrolyte balance and excretion of toxic substances in mammals, but our kidneys have amazing additional roles regarding blood pressure regulation and stimulation of red blood cell renewal. Those diverse functions are achieved by an array of different renal cell types, forming a complex tissue architecture. The “building plan” ensuring formation and maintenance of these amazing organs lies within our genes and tiny changes within this renal map will have devastating consequences within this fine-tuned building of blood vessels, glomeruli, and tubules. It therefore comes to no surprise that in children and adolescents, genetic defects are the most common cause for end stage renal disease.

[学科分类] 儿科学

[关键词] ciliopathies;podocytes;nephrotic syndrome;cystic kidney disase;tubulopathies