As the expense of treating a growing number of end-stage kidney disease patients increases, greater attention has been paid to prevention and early treatment. The study of renal disease, however, suffers due to the complex nature of renal anatomy and physiology and the plethora of different cell types found in the kidney. In Kidney Research: Experimental Protocols, top experts in the field seek to aid researchers by providing a number of specialized techniques developed to examine this intricate system. Through both well-established and novel methods, this volume explores the preparation and culture of the main cell types used to study renal disease mechanisms, the common animal models used to mimic the various forms of human renal disease, and specific applications and techniques used in vivo and in vitro. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology(TM) series format, the chapters contain step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.Essential and cutting-edge, Kidney Research: Experimental Protocols delivers invaluable guidance to new and experienced laboratory researchers delving into the sophisticated study of the kidney.