American Society of Nephrology American Society of Nephrology Founded in 1966, the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) is the world’s largest professional society devoted to the study of kidney disease. Composed of over 16,000 physicians and scientists, ASN promotes expert patient care, advances medical research, and educates the renal community. ASN also informs policymakers about issues of importance to kidney doctors and their patients. Each year, the ASN and the ASN Foundation for Kidney Research provide nearly 400 research and travel grants. ASN annual meetings are attended by approximately 13,000 participants, and regional meetings are held throughout the year. The society publishes the "Journal
Circumventricular organs that information neurally to other brain regions. Through their neural circuitry, they provide direct information to the autonomic nervous system from the systemic circulation. The secretory organs include the subcommissural organ (SCO), the pituitary gland, the median eminence, and the pineal gland. These organs are responsible for secreting hormones and glycoproteins into the peripheral blood using feedback from both the brain environment and external stimuli. All of the circumventricular organs, except the subcommissural organ, contain extensive vasculature and permeable capillaries which define a sensory and secretory system within the brain. Furthermore, all CVOs contain neural tissue, enabling a neuroendocrine role.