Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 28, 2026

Detection of Inflammasome Activation and Pyroptotic Cell Death in Murine Bone Marrow-derived Macrophages
Published on: May 21, 2018
Pattern recognition receptors and the inflammasome in kidney disease
Jaklien C Leemans1, Lotte Kors1, Hans-Joachim Anders2
1Department of Pathology, Academic Medical Center, Meibergdreef 9, L2-111, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Abstract:
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain receptors (NLRs) are families of pattern recognition receptors that, together with inflammasomes, sense and respond to highly conserved pathogen motifs and endogenous molecules released upon cell damage or stress. Evidence suggests that TLRs, NLRs and the NACHT, LRR and PYD domains-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome have important roles in kidney diseases through regulation of inflammatory and tissue-repair responses to infection and injury. In this Review, we discuss the pathological mechanisms that are related to TLRs, NLRs and NLRP3 in various kidney diseases. In general, these receptors are protective in the host defence against urinary tract infection, but can sustain and self-perpetuate tissue damage in sterile inflammatory and immune-mediated kidney diseases. TLRs, NLRs and NLRP3, therefore, have become promising drug targets to enable specific modulation of kidney inflammation and suppression of immunopathology in kidney disease.
Related Concept Videos
Renal Corpuscle
Glomerulus: Structure and Function
The glomerulus is a tiny, intricate network of capillaries located at the beginning of the nephron. It's enveloped by the Bowman's capsule and receives its blood supply from an afferent arteriole, which divides into numerous...
Nephrons
Acute Inflammation I: Inflammatory Response
Acute Kidney Injury I: Introduction
Acute Kidney Injury II: Pathophysiology
Acute Pyelonephritis I: Introduction

