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Updated: Nov 18, 2025
Quantifying Acute Changes in Renal Sympathetic Nerve Activity in Response to Central Nervous System Manipulations in Anesthetized Rats
Published on: September 11, 2018
Function of Renal Nerves in Kidney Physiology and Pathophysiology
John W Osborn1, Roman Tyshynsky2, Lucy Vulchanova3
1Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA;
Abstract:
Renal sympathetic (efferent) nerves play an important role in the regulation of renal function, including glomerular filtration, sodium reabsorption, and renin release. The kidney is also innervated by sensory (afferent) nerves that relay information to the brain to modulate sympathetic outflow. Hypertension and other cardiometabolic diseases are linked to overactivity of renal sympathetic and sensory nerves, but our mechanistic understanding of these relationships is limited. Clinical trials of catheter-based renal nerve ablation to treat hypertension have yielded promising results. Therefore, a greater understanding of how renal nerves control the kidney under physiological and pathophysiological conditions is needed. In this review, we provide an overview of the current knowledge of the anatomy of efferent and afferent renal nerves and their functions in normal and pathophysiological conditions. We also suggest further avenues of research for development of novel therapies targeting the renal nerves.
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