Research progress on the relationship between nanocrystals and calcium oxalate stones

Urological stones are the common urological diseases in clinical practice. So far, the mechanisms of kidney stone formation still remain unclear. Among all of the mechanisms, the supersaturated crystallization theory focuses on the microcrystal size of stones. However, there are few researches on the formation mechanism of stones in nanoscale. This narrative review summarizes the current mainstream mechanisms of kidney stone formation. It also discusses the relationship between calcium oxalate (CaOx) nanocrystals and the formation of kidney stones from the perspective of the physicochemical properties of the nanocrystals. To further explore the role of CaOx nanocrystals in the formation of CaOx, this review lists some convenient and reliable methods for tracking nanocrystals. Currently, in addition to mainstream treatments like potassium sodium hydrogen citrate and thiazide diuretics, some researches indicate that polysaccharide drugs, selenium nanoparticles, and dietary can inhibit the formation of nanocrystals, ultimately preventing the formation of CaOx stones.