Nuclear receptors have important roles in normal physiological functions and in the pathophysiology of various diseases. Here, the authors focus on the roles of nuclear receptors in podocyte biology and non-diabetic glomerular disease as well as their potential as therapeutic targets.

Acute kidney injury is a common complication of trauma. Here, the authors examine how, in addition to direct trauma to the kidneys, the pathophysiological responses to traumatic injuries in distant organs, including immune responses, can result in kidney dysfunction.

This Review provides an overview of fluorescence-based microscopy techniques that have been used to study molecular processes within the kidney. The authors describe how the development of cutting-edge technologies has enabled high spatiotemporal resolution of molecular interactions and processes, and how these approaches have aided our understanding of kidney dynamics.

In vivo non-invasive molecular imaging techniques have potential to improve clinical research and practices in nephrology. Here, the authors discuss the benefits and challenges of preclinical and clinical applications of molecular imaging to acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease, transplantation and kidney cancer.

Many children die from preventable and/or treatable kidney disease in low-resource settings. Here, the authors examine strategies to improve the care of these children, including the need to invest in disease prevention and early detection, promote disease awareness and education, and adapt treatments to expand provision.

In transplantation, liquid biopsies that can detect donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA) might improve monitoring of organ rejection without invasive biopsies, and might enable effective management of anti-rejection drug therapies. Here, the authors discuss dd-cfDNA quantification methods, the clinical validity of these approaches, their limitations and economic implications.

Available data suggest that the prevalence and incidence of kidney stones is increasing; however, much of this variation might result from differences in approaches used to identify stone formers. This Review describes the need for a classification system to facilitate use of consistent terminology and enable meaningful comparisons of the burden of kidney stone disease across different…