The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has key regulatory functions for blood pressure and
fluid homeostasis. In addition, dysregulation of the system can have maladaptive effects to
promote tissue injury in chronic diseases such as hypertension, heart failure, and kidney
disease. These actions for the RAS to promote disease pathogenesis are especially
apparent in diabetic nephropathy, the most common cause of end-stage renal disease in the
United States. Evidence of a role for the RAS in diabetic nephropathy comes from studies in …