This comprehensive account of renal tract disorders examines both hereditary nephropathies and more generalized disorders which affect the renal system. Beginning with introductory chapters on renal anatomy, embryology, and physiology, this extensive study covers many aspects of various disorders, including: urinary tract abnormality in chromosomal disorders and in inherited metabolic diseases; renal stones and crystalluria; renal tubular defects; and primary hereditary nephropathies, including a discussion of Alport's disease. Each chapter describes clinical and pathological features of particular disorders, and reviews the genetics of the disorders, including incidence, inheritance or familial occurrence, and prenatal diagnosis. Original studies are referred to in each section, making this a clear and thorough text for nephrologists, urologists, and geneticists.