LCN2 and acute kidney injury: Immediately after the occurrence of acute kidney injury, the production of NGAL is increased in the distal parts of the nephron, the thick ascending part of the Henley’s loop, the distal tubules, and the collecting ducts [47,48], which results in increased urinary and plasma NGAL levels due to increased secretion from the apical and basolateral surface of the nephron epithelium.