title: Mammalian target of rapamycin signaling in the podocyte.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is an evolutionarily conserved protein kinase. mTOR forms two distinct functional multiprotein kinase complexes that mutually phosphorylate different substrates and regulate a wide array of essential cellular processes including translation, transcription and autophagy. mTOR is active in several types of cancer and plays a role in a variety of other serious human diseases, including diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders and polycystic kidney disease. However, until recently, only very little was known about the function of mTOR in glomerular homeostasis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Emerging studies highlight the important roles of the mTOR signaling pathway in both maintaining and deregulating glomerular and podocyte function.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Here we review the current understanding of mTOR signaling in podocyte biology and discuss its implications for the development of glomerular diseases.
authors.affiliation: Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inoki
authors.forename: Tobias B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Huber
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000818:Animals; D001343:Autophagy; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D050199:Podocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000076226:Rapamycin-Insensitive Companion of mTOR Protein; D000076223:Regulatory-Associated Protein of mTOR; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000077004:Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 1 Protein; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D000076226:Rapamycin-Insensitive Companion of mTOR Protein; D000076223:Regulatory-Associated Protein of mTOR; C540162:Rptor protein, mouse; D000077004:Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 1 Protein; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; C525637:rictor protein, mouse; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases