SUMMARY1This brief review examines the evidence that angiotensin II (AngII) is essential for kidney development.2Several components of the renin‐angiotensin system (RAS) are detected in the foetal kidney early in development.3Angiotensin II is essential for normal foetal and neonatal renal function.4Angiotensin II receptors transduce important signals leading to growth and development.5Angiotensin receptor subtypes show spatial and temporal specificity of localization throughout renal development.6Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition or AngII receptor blockade (specifically AT1subtype blockade) results in functional and structural abnormalities of the developing kidney in both experimental and clinical situations.7While chronic postnatal RAS blockade in rats is associated with structural damage to tubules and blood vessels of the kidney, reports differ on whether treatment also affects glomerular induction and growth.8In metanephric organ culture, glomerular induction proceeds despite AngII receptor blockade.9In summary, the evidence suggests that AngII is not essential for nephron induction and glomerular development in the rat kidney. However, AngII is essential for normal growth and development of renal tubules and vasculatur