Kidney disease may be generally classified clinically into two categories: acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD), both of which are tightly interconnected. 1-3 AKI can often develop in clinical settings in critically ill patients, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. 4,5 AKI is manifested by a rapid decline in the glomerular filtration rates (GFRs) 6 and its pathogenesis is complex, involving ischemia, sepsis, drug toxicity, and trauma. 7 If left unmanaged, AKI can develop into CKD, which is characterized by a progressive decrease in GFR, culminating in a gradual loss of renal function. 8 The transition from AKI to CKD can also be hastened by numerous risk factors such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and chronic inflammation. 9-11 Currently, there are no effective treatments for either AKI or CKD, stressing a continual need to elucidate the underlying pathological mechanisms of AKI and CKD. In this regard, animal models of kidney disease have been invaluable in that utilization of these animal models not only facilitates our understanding of the