Nephrolithiasis is a complex, multifactorial disease resulting from an interaction between environmental and genetic factors, even if the actual contributions of these factors to stone disease are not yet quantifiable. The lack of convincing findings on genetic factors and genes responsible for nephrolithiasis is due to our still inadequate understanding of the pathogenesis. The hypothesis of an anomaly in cell membrane lipid composition might conceivably be the defect which links genetic and dietary factors and renal stone disease.