The role of the vascular endothelium in progressive renal disease is not well understood.
This review presents evidence that progressive renal disease is characterized by a
progressive loss of the microvasculature. The loss of the microvasculature correlates directly
with the development of glomerular and tubulointerstitial scarring. The mechanism is
mediated in part by a reduction in the endothelial proliferative response, and this impairment
in capillary repair is mediated by alteration in the local expression of both angiogenic …