- Kidney disease can make many people very sick and tired.
- One form of this disease harms the tiny filters in kidneys.
- Immune cells called neutrophils move into the injured kidney tissue.
- These neutrophils cause strong inflammation and damage the kidney tissue.
- A research team studied the disease in a simple laboratory model.
- The researchers found a way to make neutrophils less harmful to tissue.
- This change lowered inflammation and reduced the amount of kidney injury.
- The finding could help develop new treatments for kidney disease.
Difficult words
- kidney — an organ that helps clean blood and make urinekidneys
- neutrophil — immune cells that move into injured tissueneutrophils
- inflammation — body reaction that causes redness and swelling
- tissue — a group of cells in one part of the body
- injury — harm or damage to part of the body
- researcher — a person who studies and tests thingsresearchers
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Do you know what a kidney does?
- Have you read or heard about inflammation before?
- Would you like to work in research to help develop treatments?
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