title: [The classics of Italian nephrology: ''Hormones in renal physiology and renal pathology'' by Silvano Lamperi (1922-2008) e Rodolfo Cheli (1928-1997)].
abstract: This monograph, published in 1955, describes the effects that cortisone, desoxycorticosterone, adrenocorticotropic hormone, growth hormone, and testosterone have on renal function, renal metabolism and renal enzymatic activity. The two main chapters of the book describe the experimental results obtained by the authors with the administration of the above-mentioned hormones to rats in terms of renal morphology and function both in basal conditions and after the injection of nephroptoxic substances. Interestingly, the effects on function were evaluated by the measurement of the consumption of oxygen by kidney sections incubated with hormones in different experimental conditions. The results demonstrated that both cortisone and adrenocorticosterone could have a protective effect on kidney damage, which could be used for clinical purposes. Today, the monograph by Lamperi and Cheli is interesting because it shows that advanced experimental research was carried out in Italy in the early 1950s. Moreover, it represents an early attempt to the application of experimental results to the clinic.
authors.affiliation: U.O. di Nefrologia, Dialisi, Trapianto, Fondazione IRCCS, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, Milano. fogazzi@policlinico.mi.it
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Fogazzi
mesh_terms: D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D007558:Italy; D009398:Nephrology / Q000266:history*