The glomerulus is the part of the kidney that filters the blood.
Sclerosis describes the damage or scarring of the glomerulus.
Focal and segmental refer to the pattern of damage in the kidney. In the U.S. alone, over 280,000 people have ESRD, with 73,000 new patients diagnosed each year. Even with treatment, renal failure frequently progresses. Most people affected by FSGS do NOT have a family history of kidney disease. Genes are individual instructions that determine traits like eye and hair color.