title: Histochemical and immunoelectron microscopic analysis of ganglioside GM3 in human kidney.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gangliosides are amphipathic lipids ubiquitously expressed in all vertebrate cells. They have been reported to play pivotal roles in cell morphology, cell adhesion, signal transduction, and modulation of immune reaction. Although human kidney contains various kinds of ganglioside, their physiological and pathophysiological roles have not been elucidated yet. As ganglioside GM3 is the most abundant ganglioside in human kidney, we tried to reveal the distribution of GM3 using histological analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Macroscopically normal parts of operatively resected kidney from renal cell carcinoma patients were used for analyses. Immunohistochemical and immunoelectron microscopic analyses were performed with anti-GM3 antibody.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immunohistochemical analyses showed that GM3 was observed in glomeruli and renal proximal tubules. Immunoelectron microscopy demonstrated that GM3 was localized on the foot process of podocyte and also in Golgi region of renal proximal tubule cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ganglioside GM3 might take a part of the negative electric charge on the surface of podocyte and its multiple physiological actions may play pivotal roles for maintaining glomerular function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, NTT West Japan Osaka Hospital, Osaka, Japan. gyaia@ymail.plala.or.jp.
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.affiliation: Department of Comprehensive Kidney Disease Research, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiharu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tsubakihara
authors.affiliation: The Department of Pathology, Osaka General Medical Center, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fushimi
authors.affiliation: The Department of Urology, Osaka General Medical Center, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine and Nephrology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshitsugu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takabatake
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine and Nephrology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rakugi
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hayato
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawakami
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine and Nephrology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshitaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Isaka
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005679:G(M3) Ganglioside / Q000032:analysis*; D006056:Golgi Apparatus / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000737:chemistry*; D007687:Kidney Tubules, Proximal / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D008875:Middle Aged; D050199:Podocytes / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D005679:G(M3) Ganglioside
keywords: GM3; Ganglioside; Lipid raft; Podocyte