It's not all about nephrin.
Mutations in the NPHS1 gene cause congenital nephrotic syndrome of the Finnish type. The gene product nephrin is a structural component of the glomerular slit diaphragm formed by neighboring podocytes. Nephrin has also been suggested to be involved in signaling processes that are important for podocyte survival and differentiation. A new study by Doné et al. reports that the absence of nephrin leads to the lack of slit diaphragms but does not affect podocyte apoptosis and gene expression patterns.
Simons
M
M
Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Department of Developmental and Regenerative Biology, New York, New York 10029, USA. matias.simons@mssm.edu
Huber
T B
TB
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009404:Nephrotic Syndrome / Q000235:genetics; D050199:Podocytes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure*
D008565:Membrane Proteins; C113267:nephrin