The role of podocytes in the development of glomerular sclerosis.
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Animals↗
Biomedical subjects
M Kretzler
Publications and source records attributed to M Kretzler.
The glomerular mesangium: capillary support function and its failure under experimental conditions.
We present a structural analysis of the ability of the biomechanical unit consisting of mesangium and glomerular basement membrane to maintain normal capillary architecture in the face of mechanical challenges due to high intraglomerular pressures. Capillary support function may be considered in terms of the stabilization of local form (development of wall tension against capillary dilation) and global form (centripetal fixation of capillary loops to maintain higher order form). The pathologic consequences of the loss of this support are illustrated by way of experimental models of mechanical mesangial failure. Such failure may express itself as mesangial widening, increased transmesangial macromolecule "traffic," ballooning of capillary segments, and unfolding of capillary loops. Mechanisms are described by which these structural changes may lead to segmental glomerular sclerosis.
Animals↗
mRNA differential display analysis of nephrotic kidney glomeruli.
BACKGROUND: Differential display RT-PCR (DDRT-PCR) is a new powerful technique for identification and characterization of altered gene expression in eukaryotic cells and tissues. We studied here changes in kidney glomerular gene expression in patients with congenital nephrotic syndrome of the Finnish type (CNF), an inherited kidney disease with heavy proteinuria already in utero. METHODS: Using the DDRT-PCR approach and isolated glomeruli from removed human kidneys, we compared the gene expression patterns of normal human and CNF glomeruli. Differential expression of candidate genes was verified by Northern blotting, and the corresponding PCR fragments were sequenced and compared to known sequences in databanks. RESULTS: We found several genes and sequence tags with altered expression in nephrotic glomeruli including fragments with close homologies to cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, integrin-linked kinase, insulin-like growth factor II receptor and eotaxin, and also clones resembling anchyrin and cadherin-like consensus sequences. CONCLUSION: All the sequences identified are of interest in respect to pathogenesis of proteinuria. Furthermore, this study reveals potentially new members to known gene families with tissue and cell type-specific expression.
Adult↗
Altering glomerular epithelial function in vitro using transient and stable transfection.
Damage of the glomerular filtration barrier leads to proteinuria and progressive renal failure. Several independent lines of research have implicated the glomerular epithelial cell (GEC) as a key player in initiation and propagation of pathways leading to glomerulosclerosis. A growing number of molecules activated in this process have been identified. To further define their cellular function, manipulation of these molecules using pharmacological or genetic approaches in tissue culture systems are required. In this study, strategies for altering GEC gene expression by transient and stable transfection of fluorescence labeled proteins will be presented and discussed. The insight gained through these and comparable systems should allow a detailed dissection of the molecular pathways active in GEC function and failure.
Cells, Cultured↗