Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 15, 2026
A Murine Model of Hemodialysis Access-Related Hand Dysfunction
Published on: May 31, 2022
Better nephrology for mice--and man
Matthew D Breyer1, Zhonghua Qi
1Biotechnology Discovery Research, Lilly Research Laboratories, Indianapolis, Indiana 46285, USA. breyer_matthew@lilly.com
Abstract:
The use of creatinine to estimate glomerular filtration rate in patients is prone to well-described artifacts that impact its interpretation. Eisner et al. now show that the impact of creatinine secretion on creatinine clearance is even larger in mice than in humans, raising questions regarding the utility of creatinine for measuring glomerular filtration rate in mice.
Insights
Creatinine-based glomerular filtration rate estimation has artifacts. In mice, creatinine secretion significantly impacts clearance more than in humans, questioning its use for measuring kidney function in this model.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Animal Models
- Biomarker Analysis
Background:
- Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is a key indicator of kidney function.
- Creatinine is a commonly used endogenous biomarker for estimating GFR in clinical practice.
- However, creatinine-based GFR estimation is subject to known artifacts, including tubular secretion.
Discussion:
- This study investigates the impact of creatinine secretion on creatinine clearance (CrCl) in mice.
- Findings indicate that creatinine secretion plays a more substantial role in mice than in humans.
- This highlights potential limitations of using creatinine for accurate GFR assessment in murine models.
Key Insights:
- Creatinine secretion significantly overestimates creatinine clearance in mice.
- The magnitude of this artifact is greater in mice compared to humans.
- This challenges the reliability of standard creatinine-based GFR measurements in preclinical mouse studies.
Outlook:
- Re-evaluation of current methods for GFR measurement in mice is warranted.
- Development of alternative or adjusted biomarkers for GFR estimation in preclinical research is needed.
- Improved understanding of renal handling of creatinine in mice may refine experimental design.
