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Podocyte electrophysiology, in vivo and in vitro
Author(s) -
Pavenstädt Hermann,
Bek Martin
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
microscopy research and technique
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.536
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1097-0029
pISSN - 1059-910X
DOI - 10.1002/jemt.10078
Subject(s) - microbiology and biotechnology , depolarization , in vivo , cytosol , extracellular , in vitro , podocyte , chemistry , intracellular , glomerulus , acetylcholine , electrophysiology , biophysics , biology , endocrinology , biochemistry , neuroscience , kidney , proteinuria , enzyme
Podocytes are the most differentiated cell types in the glomerulus, which have been assumed to participate in the regulation of the ultrafiltration coefficient K f . In podocytes in vivo and in vitro vasoactive agonists, such as angiotensin II and acetylcholine, increase the free cytosolic Ca 2+ concentration via a release of Ca 2+ from intracellular stores and an influx of Ca 2+ from the extracellular space. An increase of the cytosolic Ca 2+ in podocytes activates Cl − channels in podocytes in vivo and in vitro, resulting in a depolarization of podocytes. In vitro studies have shown that in addition to Ca 2+ ‐activated Cl − channels, cAMP‐activated Cl − channels and Ca 2+ ‐activated K + channels are present in cultured podocytes. The characterization of the signaling pathways that regulate ion channels in podocytes may be important in the understanding of the regulation of the ultrafiltration coefficient K f . This review summarizes the currently known electrophysiological properties of podocytes. Microsc. Res. Tech. 57:224–227, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.