Renal genetic disorders may become apparent at any time in life and recognition of specific renal disorders is important in allowing accurate genetic counselling. Active counselling requires knowledge about the natural history of the disorder, an understanding of the genetic component and mode of inheritance, risk of the disorder in other family members, information about patient attitudes towards family planning and the possibility of pre-natal diagnosis.The Genetics of Renal Disease provides a comprehensive account of both the hereditary nephropathies and more generalised disorders, which may affect the renal tract. It includes comprehensive guidelines from an international group of authors on renal function and development, chromosomal disorders, dysmorphic syndromes, inherited predisposition to kidney cancer and gene therapy for renal cancer. Specific chapters deal with individual renal tract disorders such as an extensive discussion of Alport's disease, cystic renal diseases, the Bardet-Biedl and Alstrom syndromes. Each section gives a brief description of the clinical and pathological features of a particular disorder, followed by a review of the genetics of the disorder including incidence, inheritance of familial occurrence, genetic linkage and gene assignment, and prenatal diagnosis and carrier detection. Original studies are extensively quoted and are referenced at the end of each section. There are a great many dysmorphic syndromes that involve the urinary tract. These are incorporated within the book.