[Recent advances of studies on interstitial nephritis--definition and pathogenesis]

An abbreviated history describing our understanding of the interstitial nephritis was outlined in the present report. Interstitial nephritis has been recognized with increasing frequency. This nephritis is a diverse group of renal disorders in which the predominant morphologic changes occur in the interstitium included tubules. Recent explosive advances in immunological studies and molecular biological techniques have greatly expanded a study on the mechanisms of interstitial fibrosis.