Functional nephrons can be lost through a process of glomerulotubular disconnection.
Progressive development of atubular glomeruli seems to play a major role in a number of
renal disorders, including glomerular diseases, ascribed to injury to the glomerulotubular
junction as a result of proteinuria; however, formation of atubular glomeruli is even more
common in tubulointerstitial disorders, such as obstructive nephropathy. Toxic nephropathy
is also associated with the formation of atubular glomeruli, suggesting susceptibility of the …