URINARY BIOMARKERS AND NEPHROTOXICITY

Biomarkers represent measurable changes in biologic systems or samples which correlate with an organism's altered biochemical or cellular fu nction. For the kidney urine is the usual body fluid sampled. The prin ciple processes which are evaluated are filtration/elimination and rea bsorption/secretion. Proteins, either abnormal in type or amount, and enzymes have dominated interest in this field for many years. However, application of monoclonal antibody techniques, along with an understa nding of the role of cytokiness, growth factors, collagen matrix and l ipid mediators have rapidly expanded the field of new candidates for u rinary biomarkers.