Abstract:

Diabetic nephropathy is becoming a leading cause of chronic kidney disease, but there is still lack of a effective therapeutic target in diabetic nephropathy treament. Autophgy is a highly conserved “selfeating” path way by which cells degrading and recycling macromolecules and organelles, and play an imporptant role in human health and diseases. It is usually considered a protective process, but impaired autophgy will cause cell and organ damage. Impairment of the autophgy implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. We reviews current articles focusing on studies of renal intrinsic cells （including glomerular podocyte，glomerular endothelial cell，messangial cell，proximal tubular epithelial cell）experiments  in vivo and in vitro, and conclude that autophagy probably play a protective effect in diabetic nephropathy, and will be a new target in treatment.

Key words: autophy, diabetic nephropathy, renal intrinsic cells