The nephrotoxic serum nephritis (NTSN) model is established by single intravenous injection ofnephrotoxic serum in immunized animals and used to study immune complex-mediated crescent nephritis. The NTSNmodeling process involves selecting susceptible experimental animals (mostly WKY rats and SD rats), extracting theglomerular basement membrane, preparing the nephrotoxic serum and establishing accelerated or non-accelerated models.The modeling method is complicated, and the renal lesion is representative. The immune mechanisms of the NTSN modelare complex. Humoral immunity generates in situ and circulatory immune complexes via allogenic and autologous reactionphase and mediates type III hypersensitivity. Cellular immunity is also involved in the formation of renal crescent lesions byactivating a series of inflammatory cytokines produced by T lymphocytes. This article mainly reviews the modeling methodand the related immune mechanisms of the NTSN model.