Targeting endogenous repair pathways after AKI

AKI remains a highly prevalent disease associated with poor short- and long-term outcomes and high costs. Although significant advances in our understanding of repair after AKI have been made over the last 5 years, this knowledge has not yet been translated into new AKI therapies. A consensus conference held by the Acute Dialysis Quality Initiative was convened in April of 2014 and reviewed new evidence on successful kidney repair to identify the most promising pathways that could be translated into new treatments. In this paper, we provide a summary of current knowledge regarding successful kidney repair and offer a framework for conceptualizing the therapeutic targeting that may facilitate this process. We outline gaps in knowledge and suggest a research agenda to more efficiently bring new discoveries regarding repair after AKI to the clinic.