The Glomerulus: Mechanisms and Patterns of Injury☆

So far, knowledge of the mechanisms of glomerular toxicity of drugs and chemicals was largely descriptive, mainly reflecting the associated pathology, or biochemical and functional consequences of exposing glomerular cells to a given toxic molecule. However, more recently understanding of glomerular toxicity has expanded, orienting toward new cell surface molecules, soluble mediators, and novel mechanisms of injury. Moreover, studies of drug toxicity had allowed us to better define functional and structural determinants of glomerular filtration and to identify pathways of abnormal permeability to macromolecules that may cause progressive renal disease.