The College of Glycation is an educational video series dedicated to helping viewers understand one of the most critical and often overlooked processes in human biology: glycation. Led by Dr. Paul Reynolds, Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology at Brigham Young University, this series explores how sugar interacts with proteins and fats in the body, forming harmful compounds called Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs). These compounds accelerate aging, contribute to chronic diseases, and play a key role in metabolic dysfunction. Each video is designed to break down complex topics into clear, practical insights. Whether you’re a healthcare professional, student, or simply someone seeking to improve your health, this series will give you a deeper understanding of the biological roots of inflammation, insulin resistance, and cellular damage—and what you can do to address them.
Curated by: PaulReynoldsPhD (74 videos)
In this essential episode of the College of Glycation series, Dr. Paul Reynolds, Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology explores the kidneys, organs often taken for granted until dysfunction appears. Continuing the series’ systematic approach, Dr. Reynolds first establishes how the kidneys function under healthy conditions, then reveals how glycation and inflammation progressively disrupt renal physiology and drive diabetic kidney disease—the leading cause of kidney failure worldwide. This lecture connects renal anatomy, cellular structure, and filtration physiology to explain how glycation damages the glomerular filtration barrier. Dr. Reynolds details how glycation thickens the glomerular basement membrane, neutralizes its negative charge, and allows albumin to leak into the urine. He explains why podocytes, highly specialized cells with limited regenerative capacity, are especially susceptible to AGE accumulation—leading to foot process effacement, cell loss, and irreversible filtration failure. Glycation-driven injury to mesangial cells, tubular toxicity from glycated albumin, and progressive fibrosis further accelerate kidney dysfunction. Drawing from mechanistic and clinical research, this episode explains how hyperfiltration, inflammation, oxidative stress, and the AGE–RAGE–TGF-β axis create vicious cycles that drive diabetic kidney disease from early, silent changes to end-stage renal failure. The lecture also examines altered glucose handling in diabetes, including increased SGLT2 activity, and explains why SGLT2 inhibitors offer kidney-protective benefits beyond glucose lowering. Topics Covered -Kidney anatomy and renal blood flow -Nephrons and the glomerular filtration barrier -Size and charge selectivity in healthy filtration -Glycation of the glomerular basement membrane -Albuminuria and tubular toxicity -Hyperfiltration and glomerular hypertension -Stages of diabetic kidney disease -AGE–RAGE signaling, inflammation, and fibrosis -Oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction -SGLT2 transporters and kidney-protective therapies Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction: The Kidneys & the College of Glycation Framework 00:32 – Why Diabetic Kidney Disease Matters 01:12 – What Glycation Is and Why It’s So Damaging 01:59 – Kidney Blood Flow, Nephrons, and Filtration Basics 02:41 – The Glomerular Filtration Barrier: Structure and Function 03:23 – Size and Charge Selectivity in Healthy Kidneys 04:03 – Tubular Reabsorption and Urine Concentration 04:44 – Additional Kidney Functions and GFR 05:28 – Why the Glomerular Basement Membrane Is Vulnerable to Glycation 06:10 – Loss of Charge Selectivity and Albuminuria 06:52 – Podocyte Injury, Loss, and Limited Regeneration 07:33 – Mesangial Expansion and Glomerulosclerosis 08:16 – Tubular Toxicity and Interstitial Fibrosis 09:02 – Hyperfiltration and Glomerular Hypertension 09:48 – Silent Progression of Kidney Damage 10:33 – Stages of Diabetic Kidney Disease 11:23 – The AGE–RAGE Axis in Renal Inflammation 12:06 – TGF-β, Fibrosis, and Scar Formation 12:56 – Vicious Cycles Driving Disease Progression 13:44 – Oxidative Stress and Mitochondrial Dysfunction 14:29 – Glucose Reabsorption and the Role of SGLT2 15:17 – SGLT2 Inhibitors and Kidney Protection 16:01 – The “Point of No Return” in Kidney Disease 16:43 – Why Kidney Disease Is Often Asymptomatic 17:29 – Breaking the Cycles: Prevention and Early Intervention 18:12 – Screening, Detection, and Preserving Kidney Function Whether you’re studying physiology, managing diabetes, or seeking to understand kidney disease at a molecular level, this episode reveals how glycation quietly dismantles renal architecture—and why early detection and metabolic control are critical for preserving kidney function. About Dr. Paul Reynolds Dr. Reynolds is a biomedical scientist and professor of Cell Biology and Physiology, known for translating complex cellular mechanisms into clear, mechanistic insights. His College of Glycation series helps students and lifelong learners understand how glycation and inflammation drive chronic disease across organ systems. #KidneyHealth #DiabeticKidneyDisease #Glycation #AGEs #Inflammation #MetabolicHealth #CollegeOfGlycation #BiomedicalScience #healtheducation Paul’s favorite yerba mate: https://ufeelgreat.com/usa/en/c/C63EE3 Paul’s favorite source for clean, earth-sourced essentials such as salt, elecrolytes, hydration, pre-workout and more. Go to https://redmond.life and use PAULSALT for 15% discount. Paul’s favorite exogenous ketones: A high-quality option is the NSF-certified goBHB from Clean Form Nutrition, where you can use the code Paul10 for a 10% discount: https://cleanformnutrition.com/products/go-bhb Paul’s favorite allulose source: https://rxsugar.com (discount: PAUL20) Paul’s favorite health check-up for men or women: https://blokes.co/DRPAUL (discount: DRPAUL for 50% off of labs and smart supplements and 15% off all other products)