Diabetic nephropathy: animal models of human type 2 diabetes

Abstract Diabetic nephropathy is one of the most common disabling complications of diabetes mellitus (Ruggenenti and Remuzzi 1997). It is characterized clinically by the development of persistent proteinuria, hypertension, and progressive loss of renal function. This complication can occur in patients with either insulin dependent (type 1 diabetes) and non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (type 2 diabetes) (Gellman et al. 1959; Andersen et al. 1983), and, if left untreated, it frequently leads to progressive renal structural damage, terminating in end-stage renal disease (ESRD).