[The kidney, crossroad of the endocrines]

Connections between the kidney and the endocrine system are briefly reviewed. The kidney is a source of hormones and as such can be considered an endocrine organ. At the same time, it is a target organ for many hormones influencing renal hemodynamics or electrolyte transport across tubular epithelia. The kidney also influences the blood levels and the half-life of numerous hormones inasmuch these are degraded and excreted as they pass through it. Finally, the kidney is the site of antagonistic interactions between hormonal factors (kallikrein, prostaglandins), a fact which might explain the undesirable side effects of drugs such as the nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agents.