Congenital Obstructive Nephropathy: Clinical Perspectives and Animal Models

Abstract

Congenital obstructive nephropathy is the leading cause of pediatric chronic kidney disease (CKD). Consequently, it engenders a tremendous societal burden in terms of morbidity and mortality and in health care expenses over the lifespan of affected patients. The challenges clinicians face in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of congenital obstructive nephropathy illustrate the utility of developing effective experimental models for the study of this complex disease process. In this review, we characterize congenital obstructive nephropathy with its myriad causes and manifestations, outline current standards of diagnosis and care, and discuss experimental animal models with relevance in unraveling clinical conundrums and molecular mechanisms of this important renal disease.