Acute kidney injury is a major contributor of chronic kidney disease development. The
pathogenesis of acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease shows significant
similarities. Both conditions are associated with a defect in cellular metabolism, such as fatty
acid oxidation and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in kidney tubule cells and a
marked increase in infiltrating immune cells. Here, we discuss how inflammatory cytokines
and macrophages contribute to epithelial injury and metabolic defects. In addition, we …