Models of chronic kidney disease

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Translational Medicine
• Animal Models

Background:

• Chronic kidney diseases (CKD) arise from progressive damage to kidney structures like glomeruli, tubules, interstitium, and vasculature.
• Understanding CKD pathogenesis, mechanisms, and therapeutic interventions necessitates reliable experimental models.
• Rodent models are frequently employed due to their genetic tractability and physiological similarities to humans.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and summarize key information on diverse rodent models of chronic kidney diseases.
• To critically evaluate the strengths and limitations of existing animal models for CKD research.
• To inform the selection of appropriate models for studying CKD pathogenesis and treatment efficacy.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature search for studies utilizing rodent models of CKD.
• Categorization of models into spontaneous, genetic, and induced types.
• Analysis of model characteristics, including strain, gender, and age dependency.

Main Results:

• Various rodent models exist, including spontaneous, genetic, and induced types, each offering unique insights into CKD.
• A significant limitation across models is their imperfect simulation of human CKD complexity.
• Many models exhibit dependency on specific rodent strains, genders, or ages, impacting generalizability.

Conclusions:

• Rodent models are valuable tools for CKD research but require careful consideration of their inherent limitations.
• The choice of model significantly influences the translatability of findings to human kidney diseases.
• Further development of more accurate and broadly applicable rodent models is crucial for advancing CKD understanding and treatment.