Abstract
Correlation between renal damage including drug-induced nephropathy and its participation by monocytes and macrophages is reviewed.
Some population of monocytes and macrophages are important as antigen presenting cells in some species, and contributes principally to the development of humoral and cellular immunity. Monocytes and macrophages are also responsible for renal tissue reconstruction and repair through their secretive activity. Glomerular and tubular cells as well as interstitial fibroblasts are seemingly dependent upon the growth factors originating from monocytes and macrophages. A certain lapse of time of cell contact to monocytes and macrophages is supposed to be necessary for such renal cell proliferation. Interstitial fibrosisis, the endstage of renal parenchyma like global glomerular slerosis; final stage of glomerular injury, and monocytes and macrophages are seen correlating to its extension. The analysis of the mechamism toward interstitial fibrosis and scarring is also needed for the understanding of the preserva-tion of renal function.
