Molecular genetics of renal diseases.

Recent progress in molecular genetics has strongly influenced nephrology. Gene mutations have been identified which cause various monogenic hereditary renal diseases including Alport syndrome, autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, and tubular transporter disorders. The data obtained will be useful not only to develop new methods of diagnosis and treatment of such particular diseases but also to expand the knowledge of renal physiology and pathophysiology. In addition, genetic factors have been investigated which are involved in the development and progression of more common renal diseases such as IgA nephropathy and diabetic nephropathy. There have also been great advances in molecular studies of experimental renal diseases such as Heymann nephritis and in the use of transgenic and knockout mice. In this review we focused on the important achievements made recently in the field of molecular nephrology.