Kidney disease models: tools to identify mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Translational Medicine
• Animal Models of Disease

Background:

• Acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) represent significant global health challenges with increasing prevalence.
• Understanding the complex causes of renal failure necessitates robust experimental models.
• Rodent models are crucial for elucidating kidney disease mechanisms and progression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review established and emerging animal models for AKI and CKD.
• To highlight the utility of these models in advancing the understanding of human nephropathies.
• To explore how animal model research informs clinical trials and therapeutic target identification.

Main Methods:

• Review of surgical and drug/toxin-induced AKI models in rodents.
• Discussion of various CKD models, with an emphasis on genetically modified mouse models.
• Integration of findings from recent and ongoing clinical trials with animal model data.

Main Results:

• Rodent models provide essential mechanistic insights into kidney disease.
• Different models are available for studying diverse aspects of AKI and CKD.
• Animal studies have yielded conceptual advances relevant to human kidney diseases.

Conclusions:

• Animal models, particularly rodents, are indispensable tools for kidney disease research.
• These models facilitate the identification of potential therapeutic strategies for AKI and CKD.
• Continued integration of animal model findings with clinical research is vital for combating kidney disease.