Ulla C. Kopp

TL;DR: The renal nerve is the communication link between the central nervous system and the kidney as discussed by the authors, which is the major structural and functional components of the kidney, the vessels, glomeruli, and tubules, each of which is innervated.

TL;DR: The renorenal reflex coordinates the excretory function of the two kidneys so as to facilitate homeostatic regulation of sodium and water balance and proof of principle studies in essential hypertensive patients demonstrate that renal denervation produces sustained decreases in arterial pressure.

TL;DR: In rats fed high sodium diet, increasing renal pelvic pressure ≥3 mm Hg activates renal mechanosensory nerves, resulting in a renorenal reflex–induced increase in urinary sodium excretion and increased arterial pressure to facilitate the natriuresis and maintenance of sodium balance.

TL;DR: In normotensive rats, reinnervation of the renal sensory nerves occurs over the same time course as reinnerved sympathetic nerves, both being complete at 9 to 12 wk following renal denervation.

TL;DR: Although removal of both renal sympathetic and afferent renal sensory nerves most likely contributes to the arterial pressure reduction initially, additional mechanisms may be involved in long-term arterial Pressure reduction since sympathetic and sensory nerves reinnervate renal tissue in a similar time-dependent fashion following renal denervation.