Human kidneys produce more than 4 million litres of virtually protein-free primary urine in a lifetime, clearing more than 250,000 kg of plasma proteins in the process. The sieving process is accomplished by the glomerular filter and understanding this process is a prerequisite to understanding the pathogenesis of proteinuria. Here, the authors summarize the major models that have been proposed for the mechanisms of glomerular filtration and discuss their strengths and limitations, with special emphasis on their proposed model—the electrokinetic model.
- Marcus J. Moeller
- Verena Tenten
