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The insect nephrocyte is a podocyte-like cell with a filtration slit diaphragm

Author

Listed:
  • Helen Weavers

    (University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK)

  • Silvia Prieto-Sánchez

    (Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, CSIC, UAM, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain)

  • Ferdinand Grawe

    (Institut für Genetik, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Düsseldorf D-40225, Germany)

  • Amparo Garcia-López

    (University of Valencia, Burjasot, Valencia 46100, Spain)

  • Ruben Artero

    (University of Valencia, Burjasot, Valencia 46100, Spain)

  • Michaela Wilsch-Bräuninger

    (Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics)

  • Mar Ruiz-Gómez

    (Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, CSIC, UAM, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain)

  • Helen Skaer

    (University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK)

  • Barry Denholm

    (University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK)

Abstract

Kidney origins in insects The blood-filtering barrier in the glomerulus of the vertebrate kidney, where blood is ultrafiltered to form urine, is made up of modified epithelial cells called podocytes. The nephron — consisting of the glomerulus and renal tubule — is considered a characteristic adaptive feature of vertebrates. But 'nephron-like' features are found in the excretory systems of many invertebrates. Now Weavers et al. report that an insect filtration cell known as the nephrocyte shares striking similarity with the podocyte. Fly orthologues of the major constituents of the slit diaphragm of the kidney form a complex of interacting proteins resembling that found in vertebrates. The nephrocyte diaphragm is completely lost in flies mutant for nephrin or NEPH1 orthologues, similar to the phenotype of the human kidney disease congenital nephrotic syndrome (NPHS1). This establishes the insect nephrocyte as a model for the study of kidney podocyte biology and podocyte-associated diseases.

Suggested Citation

  • Helen Weavers & Silvia Prieto-Sánchez & Ferdinand Grawe & Amparo Garcia-López & Ruben Artero & Michaela Wilsch-Bräuninger & Mar Ruiz-Gómez & Helen Skaer & Barry Denholm, 2009. "The insect nephrocyte is a podocyte-like cell with a filtration slit diaphragm," Nature, Nature, vol. 457(7227), pages 322-326, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:457:y:2009:i:7227:d:10.1038_nature07526
    DOI: 10.1038/nature07526
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    Cited by:

    1. Seong Kyu Han & Michelle T. McNulty & Christopher J. Benway & Pei Wen & Anya Greenberg & Ana C. Onuchic-Whitford & Dongkeun Jang & Jason Flannick & Noël P. Burtt & Parker C. Wilson & Benjamin D. Humph, 2023. "Mapping genomic regulation of kidney disease and traits through high-resolution and interpretable eQTLs," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-16, December.
    2. Wiebke Sachs & Lukas Blume & Desiree Loreth & Lisa Schebsdat & Favian Hatje & Sybille Koehler & Uta Wedekind & Marlies Sachs & Stephanie Zieliniski & Johannes Brand & Christian Conze & Bogdan I. Flore, 2024. "The proteasome modulates endocytosis specifically in glomerular cells to promote kidney filtration," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-21, December.
    3. Maciej K. Kocylowski & Hande Aypek & Wolfgang Bildl & Martin Helmstädter & Philipp Trachte & Bernhard Dumoulin & Sina Wittösch & Lukas Kühne & Ute Aukschun & Carolin Teetzen & Oliver Kretz & Botond Ga, 2022. "A slit-diaphragm-associated protein network for dynamic control of renal filtration," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-15, December.

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