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Vesicoureteric reflux (VUR) is a common congenital urinary tract defect that predisposes children to recurrent kidney infections. Kidney infections can result in renal scarring or reflux nephropathy defined by the presence of chronic tubulo-interstitial inflammation and fibrosis that is a frequent cause of end-stage renal failure. The discovery of mouse models with VUR and with reflux nephropathy has provided new opportunities to understand the pathogenesis of these conditions and may provide insight on the genes and the associated phenotypes that need to be examined in human studies. Keywords Vesicoureteric reflux * Mouse models * Reflux nephropathy * Children, Introduction Congenital abnormalities of the kidney and urinary tract, or CAKUT, constitute a spectrum of kidney and urinary tract disorders, the most common of which is vesicoureteric reflux (VUR). VUR [...]

Vesico-ureteric reflux (VUR) is a common congenital urinary tract defect in which urine flows retrogradely from the bladder to the kidneys because of an abnormally formed uretero-vesical junction. It is associated with recurrent urinary tract infections, renal hypo/dysplasia, reflux nephropathy, hypertension, and end-stage renal disease. In humans, VUR is genetically and phenotypically heterogeneous, encompassing diverse renal and urinary tract phenotypes. To understand the significance of these phenotypes, we and others have used the mouse as a model organism and this has led to the identification of new candidate genes. Through careful phenotypic analysis of these models, a new understanding of the genetics and biology of VUR is now underway. Keywords Vesico-ureteric reflux * Reflux nephropathy. Mouse * Genetics, Vesico-ureteric reflux: a structural and functional defect of the uretero-vesical junction Vesico-ureteric reflux (VUR) is a congenital defect of the uretero-vesical junction that leads to the retrograde flow of urine [...]