The enigmatic parietal epithelial cell is finally getting noticed: a review.
Although the normal glomerulus comprises four resident cell types, least is known about the parietal epithelial cells (PECs). This comprehensive review addresses the cellular origin of PECs, discusses the normal structure and protein makeup of PECs, describes PEC function, and defines the responses to injury in disease and how these events lead to clinical events. The data show that PECs have unique properties and that new functions are being recognized such as their role in differentiating into podocytes during disease.
Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-6521, USA.
Takamoto
T
Ohse
Jeffrey W
JW
Pippin
Alice M
AM
Chang
Ronald D
RD
Krofft
Jeffrey H
JH
Miner
Michael R
MR
Vaughan
Stuart J
SJ
Shankland
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D010539:Permeability; D050199:Podocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
D015415:Biomarkers; D011506:Proteins