Renal renin-angiotensin system —What supports and breaks the circle of life—

Abstract

Since the discovery of renin 100 or more years ago, the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has been characterized as the circulating system regulating sodium balance and blood pressure, therefore leads to the application for antihypertensive agents. There is increasing evidence that local RAS is situated in many organs, including kidney where it is involved in renal development, renal function and the progression of chronic kidney disease. This article briefly reviews the new development of RAS in renal issues and points the critical role of RAS in life cycle from prenatal to adulthood.