Structural alterations to the podocyte are related to proteinuria in type 2 diabetic patients

• Published in: Nephrology, dialysis, transplantation dialysis, transplantation, 2004-06, Vol.19 (6), p.1437-1440
• Main Authors: White, Kathryn E., Bilous, Rudolf W.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Associated diseases and complications; Basement Membrane; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Count; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - pathology; Diabetes. Impaired glucose tolerance; diabetic glomerulopathy; Diabetic Nephropathies - pathology; Disease Progression; Emergency and intensive care: renal failure. Dialysis management; Endocrine pancreas. Apud cells (diseases); Endocrinopathies; Female; glomerular filtration barrier; Glomerular Filtration Rate; Glomerulonephritis; Humans; Intensive care medicine; Kidney Glomerulus - cytology; Kidney Glomerulus - pathology; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Nephrology. Urinary tract diseases; Nephropathies. Renovascular diseases. Renal failure; podocyte number; Proteinuria - pathology
• ISSN: 0931-0509; 1460-2385
• DOI: 10.1093/ndt/gfh129

Background. The podocyte is believed to play a key role in maintaining the integrity of the glomerular filtration barrier, and damage or loss has been linked to the development of albuminuria. Methods. Renal biopsies from 16 type 2 diabetic patients with nephropathy and 28 non-diabetic controls were analysed using light and electron microscopy. Results. Podocyte number per glomerulus was significantly lower in the type 2 patients compared with controls [mean (95% confidence interval) 464 (382–546) vs 589 (543–635), P = 0.004]. Mean glomerular volume was significantly increased in diabetic patients compared with controls [5.5 (4.9–6.1) vs 3.1 (2.7–3.5) × 106 µm3, P