Howie A J, Lote C J
Department of Pathology, University of Birmingham.
J Clin Pathol. 1996 Oct;49(10):783-6. doi: 10.1136/jcp.49.10.783.
Renal tubules and interstitium have close physiological associations. Changes in both are often seen in renal disease. Damaged tubules can attract inflammatory cells and stimulate interstitial fibrosis, but do not always do so. Interstitial inflammation can damage tubules and can also stimulate fibrosis, and is probably always initiated by tubular events. Interstitial and tubular abnormalities are closely associated with changes in renal excretory function, but tubular events are more important. A main determinant of the outcome of renal disease is whether tubules can recover, not the extent of interstitial changes. If tubules are atrophic, they will not recover and renal function will be permanently impaired.
肾小管与肾间质存在密切的生理联系。在肾脏疾病中，二者的变化常常可见。受损的肾小管可吸引炎症细胞并刺激间质纤维化，但并非总是如此。间质炎症可损害肾小管，也可刺激纤维化，且很可能总是由肾小管事件引发。间质和肾小管异常与肾脏排泄功能的变化密切相关，但肾小管事件更为重要。肾脏疾病预后的一个主要决定因素是肾小管能否恢复，而非间质变化的程度。如果肾小管萎缩，它们将无法恢复，肾功能将永久受损。
