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Updated: May 18, 2026

Identification of the Source of Secreted Proteins in the Kidney by Brefeldin A Injection
Published on: November 10, 2021
Mechanisms of light chain injury along the tubular nephron
1Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Nephrology Research and Training Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294-0007, USA. psanders@uab.edu
Abstract:
The tubular nephron is responsible for reabsorption and catabolism of filtered low molecular weight proteins that include Ig free light chains. In the setting of a plasma cell dyscrasia, significant amounts of free light chains, now monoclonal proteins, present to the tubular nephron for disposal. The result may be clinical renal dysfunction in the form of AKI, progressive CKD, and end-stage kidney disease. Here, I review the mechanisms involved in these processes that result in tubular injury, including proximal tubulopathy and cast nephropathy.
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