Open Access

Recent advances on the mechanisms of kidney stone formation (Review)

  • Authors:
    • Zhu Wang
    • Ying Zhang
    • Jianwen Zhang
    • Qiong Deng
    • Hui Liang
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: June 11, 2021     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.2021.4982
  • Article Number: 149
  • Copyright: © Wang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Kidney stone disease is one of the oldest diseases known to medicine; however, the mechanisms of stone formation and development remain largely unclear. Over the past decades, a variety of theories and strategies have been developed and utilized in the surgical management of kidney stones, as a result of recent technological advances. Observations from the authors and other research groups suggest that there are five entirely different main mechanisms for kidney stone formation. Urinary supersaturation and crystallization are the driving force for intrarenal crystal precipitation. Randall's plaques are recognized as the origin of calcium oxalate stone formation. Sex hormones may be key players in the development of nephrolithiasis and may thus be potential targets for new drugs to suppress kidney stone formation. The microbiome, including urease‑producing bacteria, nanobacteria and intestinal microbiota, is likely to have a profound effect on urological health, both positive and negative, owing to its metabolic output and other contributions. Lastly, the immune response, and particularly macrophage differentiation, play crucial roles in renal calcium oxalate crystal formation. In the present study, the current knowledge for each of these five aspects of kidney stone formation is reviewed. This knowledge may be used to explore novel research opportunities and improve the understanding of the initiation and development of kidney stones for urologists, nephrologists and primary care.
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August-2021
Volume 48 Issue 2

Print ISSN: 1107-3756
Online ISSN:1791-244X

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Spandidos Publications style
Wang Z, Zhang Y, Zhang J, Deng Q and Liang H: Recent advances on the mechanisms of kidney stone formation (Review). Int J Mol Med 48: 149, 2021.
APA
Wang, Z., Zhang, Y., Zhang, J., Deng, Q., & Liang, H. (2021). Recent advances on the mechanisms of kidney stone formation (Review). International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 48, 149. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.2021.4982
MLA
Wang, Z., Zhang, Y., Zhang, J., Deng, Q., Liang, H."Recent advances on the mechanisms of kidney stone formation (Review)". International Journal of Molecular Medicine 48.2 (2021): 149.
Chicago
Wang, Z., Zhang, Y., Zhang, J., Deng, Q., Liang, H."Recent advances on the mechanisms of kidney stone formation (Review)". International Journal of Molecular Medicine 48, no. 2 (2021): 149. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.2021.4982