Genetic study has illustrated that PGC-1α directs renal progenitor fate and is necessary for appropriate nephrogenesis in zebrafish.489 Of note, PGC-1α is abundantly present in the kidney, but PGC-1β is hardly expressed in the kidney and related research barely exists.1,16 In this section, the roles of PGC-1α in kidney diseases are emphasized. The gene discussed is PPARGC1A; the disease is kidney disorder.