The pathogenetical mechanisms of glomerular proteinuria
Carraro, M.; Zennaro, C.
Giornale Italiano di Nefrologia Organo Ufficiale Della Societa Italiana di Nefrologia 23(5): 459-470
2006
ISSN/ISBN: 1724-5990 PMID: 17123259 Document Number: 595121
Although the pathologic mechanisms responsible for glomerular proteinuria have not been completely clarified, yet, it has become evident that structural and functional abnormalities of podocytes play an early and important role. These data come from recent studies analyzing podocyte behaviour in cell culture, in-depth clinical researches, the application of survey techniques on isolated glomeruli, proteomic studies on particular aspects of circulating factors. For most glomerulopathies, whether primary or secondary, podocytes are often the first target for many pathogenetic mechanisms, which, unexpectedly, have the common characteristic of inducing tropism in podocytes. Hopefully, advances in glomerular podocyte research will better define clinical diseases, which we now classify according to a static description of the histological damage, thus perhaps mistaking causes and effects.