Nephritic syndrome (or acute nephritic syndrome) is a collection of signs (known as a syndrome) associated with disorders affecting the kidneys, more specifically glomerular disorders. It is characterized by having a thin glomerular basement membrane and small pores in the podocytes of the glomerulus, large enough to permit proteins (proteinuria) and red blood cells (hematuria) to pass into the urine. By contrast, nephrotic syndrome is characterized by only proteins moving into the urine. Nephritic syndrome, like nephrotic syndrome, may involve hypoalbuminemia due to protein albumin moving from the blood to the urine.