ABSTRACT
Gout and hyperuricemia, the frequently-occurring and common diseases, are mainly characterized by the rise of serum uric acid levels. Overproduction and/or underexcretion of uric acid are the primary causes of hyperurice- mia. As an important organ for uric acid elimination, the kidney is responsible for 2/3 uric acid excretion. Recent researches have shown that urate transporters mediate the urate reabsorption and secretion in proximal kidney tubules. The abnormal expression and functional changes of urate transporters are closely related to the occurrence and develop- ment of hyperuricemia. Recently, studies on the urate transporters have achieved great progresses, including the progress in the studies on the urate-anion transporter 1(URAT1), glucose transporter 9, ABC transporter family, sodium-depen- dent phosphate transport protein 1(NPT1), NPT4, and organic anion transporter family, etc. The roles of organic anion transporters(OAT, such as OAT1, OAT2, OAT3, OAT4, OAT10 and URAT1)in renal uric acid excretion are summa- rized in this review.