Animal Models of Kidney Disease: Challenges and Perspectives

Kidney disease is highly prevalent and affects approximately 850 million people worldwide. It is also associated with high morbidity and mortality, and current therapies are incurable and often ineffective. Animal models are indispensable for understanding the pathophysiology of various kidney diseases and for preclinically testing novel remedies. In the last two decades, rodents continue to be the most used models for imitating human kidney diseases, largely because of the increasing availability of many unique genetically modified mice. Despite many limitations and pitfalls, animal models play an essential and irreplaceable role in gaining novel insights into the mechanisms, pathologies, and therapeutic targets of kidney disease. In this review, we highlight commonly used animal models of kidney diseases by focusing on experimental AKI, CKD, and diabetic kidney disease. We briefly summarize the pathological characteristics, advantages, and drawbacks of some widely used models. Emerging animal models such as mini pig, salamander, zebrafish, and drosophila, as well as human-derived kidney organoids and kidney-on-a-chip are also discussed. Undoubtedly, careful selection and utilization of appropriate animal models is of vital importance in deciphering the mechanisms underlying nephropathies and evaluating the efficacy of new treatment options. Such studies will provide a solid foundation for future diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of human kidney diseases.