Kidney and hypertension: role of the juxtaglomerular apparatus.

The kidney plays an important role in the pathophysiology of hypertension. Recent studies suggest that glomerular hemodynamics may be critically involved not only in the pathogenesis of hypertension but also in the mode of progression of renal dysfunction. The juxtaglomerular apparatus (JGA), consisting of the glomerular afferent and efferent arterioles and the specialized tubular epithelial cells called the macula densa, plays a central role in the regulation of glomerular hemodynamics and renin release. This article reviews the mechanism by which the JGA controls renin release and glomerular hemodynamics as well as its relevance in the pathogenesis, pathophysiology and treatment of hypertension.