The kidney is a vital organ that functions to filter blood and thus regulates a variety of physiological processes including electrolyte balance, pH, and blood pressure, among others. Kidneys have a rather complex arborous structure comprised of a multitude of nephrons, the functional and structural unit of the kidney. Understanding the form and function of nephrons is of utmost importance in the nephrology field. A variety of disease states including chronic kidney disease (CKD) and acute kidney injury (AKI) cause decreased renal function and can progress to end stage renal disease (ESRD) and multisystem failure. Currently, there are very limited treatments for decreased kidney function with the two main options being dialysis and transplantation, both of which have their pitfalls.

A growing area of research revolves around better understanding how nephrons form in hopes of improving treatment options for those afflicted by renal diseases. This research involves a variety of vertebrate animal models and in vitro techniques to divulge the molecular mechanisms underlying nephrogenesis. In this methods collection, our aim is to present a diverse assortment of techniques that are continually being developed to further our understanding of kidney development and disease. These techniques largely focus on the molecular events necessary for nephron development and the pathophysiological results upon dysregulation of genetic programs. Together these methods can further the field in hopes of additional treatment options for the various forms of kidney diseases.