Addie E Embry, Zhenan Liu, Joel M Henderson, F Jefferson Byfield, Liping Liu, Joonho Yoon, Zhenzhen Wu, Katrina Cruz, Sara Moradi, C Barton Gillombardo, Rihanna Z Hussain, Richard Doelger, Olaf Stuve, Audrey N Chang, Paul A Janmey, Leslie A Bruggeman, R Tyler Miller
Background FSGS is a pattern of podocyte injury that leads to loss of glomerular function. Podocytes support other podocytes and glomerular capillary structure, oppose hemodynamic forces, form the slit diaphragm, and have mechanical properties that permit these functions. However, the biophysical characteristics of glomeruli and podocytes in disease remain unclear. Methods Using microindentation, atomic force microscopy, immunofluorescence microscopy, quantitative RT-PCR, and a three-dimensional collagen gel contraction assay, we studied the biophysical and structural properties of glomeruli and podocytes in chronic (Tg26 mice [HIV protein expression]) and acute (protamine administration [cytoskeletal rearrangement]) models of podocyte injury...
May 2018: Journal of the American Society of Nephrology: JASN