More than a dozen genes that may play a role in the etiology of common forms of kidney disease have been discovered by a group of boffins from the United States and Europe.
More than a dozen genes that may play a role in the etiology of common forms of kidney disease have been discovered by a group of boffins from the United States and Europe.
The team, known as the CKDGen Consortium, examined common variations in DNA sequences in more than 65,000 individuals of European descent. Common variations in several genes were found to be more frequent among people with poor kidney function or chronic kidney disease than in those with normal kidney function.The researchers further confirmed their findings in more than 20,000 additional individuals. The findings are published in the April 11 edition of Nature Genetics.
Characterized by reduced kidney function or kidney damage, chronic kidney disease affects approximately 10 percent of adults in the US.
Important risk factors for chronic kidney disease include diabetes and hypertension, although kidney disease clusters in families.
Quiz on Kidney
The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs, each about the size of a fist, and are located just below the rib cage, one on each side of your spine.
Healthy kidneys filter about half a cup of blood every minute, removing wastes and extra water to make urine. The urine flows from the kidneys to the bladder through two thin tubes of muscle called ureters, one on each side of your bladder. The bladder stores urine. The kidneys, ureters, and bladder are partof the urinary tract.
![Top 10 Alarming Facts on Kidney Disease]( "Top 10 Alarming Facts on Kidney Disease")
kidneys remove wastes and extra fluid from your body. Kidneys also remove acid that is produced by the cells of your body and maintain a healthy balance of water, salts, and minerals-such as sodium, calcium, phosphorus and potassium-in your blood ().
Without this balance, nerves, muscles, and other tissues in the body may not work normally.
![Anatomy of Urinary System]( "Anatomy of Urinary System")
Kidneys also make hormones that help
The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs, each about the size of a fist, and are located just below the rib cage, one on each side of your spine.
Healthy kidneys filter about half a cup of blood every minute, removing wastes and extra water to make urine. The urine flows from the kidneys to the bladder through two thin tubes of muscle called ureters, one on each side of your bladder. The bladder stores urine. The kidneys, ureters, and bladder are partof the urinary tract.
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Top 10 Alarming Facts on Kidney Disease
The incidence of kidney failure (or chronic kidney disease) has doubled over the last 15 years. Here are some alarming facts on kidney disease.
The incidence of kidney failure (or chronic kidney disease) has doubled over the last 15 years. Here are some alarming facts on kidney disease.
Without this balance, nerves, muscles, and other tissues in the body may not work normally.
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Anatomy of Urinary System
Animation & slides showing anatomy of urinary system and the role of kidneys in getting rid of the waste products and excess fluid from our body to keep us healthy.
Animation & slides showing anatomy of urinary system and the role of kidneys in getting rid of the waste products and excess fluid from our body to keep us healthy.
- Control your blood pressure
- Make red blood cells
- Keep your bones strong and healthy
"We've known for a long time that diabetes, hypertension and family history are strong risk factors for kidney disease, but we have not been able to fully understand why. These findings will ultimately shed light on how and why kidney disease clusters in families and why it occurs in some individuals but not others," said Linda Kao, PhD, MHS, associate professor in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's departments of Epidemiology and Biostatistics.
"By studying the genes identified in this study, we can learn more about basic mechanisms underlying kidney function and disease. These novel insights can form a foundation to improve prevention and therapy of kidney diseases," said the study's lead author, Anna Kvttgen, MD, MPH, an adjunct assistant professor in the Bloomberg School's Department of Epidemiology.
"It is exciting to see research from around the world come together to collaborate and unlock the mysteries of kidney disease genetics. We learned that together we can do a lot more than apart," said Josef Coresh, MD, PhD, MHS, professor in the Bloomberg School's departments of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and the principle investigator of ARIC, a large study contributing to the discovery.
Source-ANI
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