Drawing of the kidney glomerulus.The kidney glomerulus filters the blood that arrives at the kidney. It is formed of capillaries with small pores that allow small molecules to pass through that have a molecular weight of less than 40,000 Daltons, but not larger macromolecules such as proteins. In<unk> , the glomeruli are affected by an inflammation or a hyalinization (the formation of a homogenous crystalline material within cells) that allows proteins such as albumin, antithrombin or the immunoglobulins to pass through the cell membrane and appear in urine. Albumin is the main protein in the blood that is able to maintain an oncotic pressure, which prevents the leakage of fluid into the extracellular medium and the subsequent formation of edemas. As a response to hypoproteinemia the liver commences a compensatory mechanism involving the synthesis of proteins, such as alpha-2 macroglobulin and lipoproteins. An increase in the latter can cause the hyperlipidemia associated with this syndrome.
Nephrotic syndrome
HIV-associated nephropathy
Lupus nephritis
Nephritic syndrome
Budd–Chiari syndrome
EAST syndrome
Hepatorenal syndrome
Hypertensive kidney disease