Department of Nephrology and Clinical Immunology, RWTH University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
Pediatr Nephrol. 2011 Oct;26(10):1775-80. doi: 10.1007/s00467-010-1725-5. Epub 2010 Dec 24.
In recent years, the podocyte, with its elaborate cytoarchitecture and slit diaphragm, has been the focus of extensive research, yet its precise role in the glomerular filtration barrier is still debated. There are puzzling observations indicating that a comprehensive mechanistic model for glomerular filtration is still necessary. There is no doubt that podocytes are essential for glomerular filtration barrier integrity. However, most albumin never reaches the podocyte because it is prevented from entering the glomerular filter at the endothelium level. Another puzzling observation is that the glomerular filter never clogs despite its high load of several kilograms of plasma proteins per day. Recently, we proposed a novel model in which an electrical potential difference is generated across the glomerular filtration barrier by filtration. The model offers novel potential solutions to some of the riddles regarding the glomerular filter.
近年来，足细胞因其精细的细胞结构和裂孔隔膜而成为广泛研究的焦点，但它在肾小球滤过屏障中的精确作用仍存在争议。有一些令人费解的观察结果表明，全面的肾小球滤过机制模型仍然是必要的。毫无疑问，足细胞对于肾小球滤过屏障的完整性是必不可少的。然而，由于白蛋白在血管内皮水平就被阻止进入肾小球滤过器，因此大部分白蛋白从未到达足细胞。另一个令人费解的观察结果是，尽管每天有几公斤的血浆蛋白的高负荷，肾小球滤过器却从未堵塞。最近，我们提出了一个新的模型，即滤过过程在肾小球滤过屏障中产生一个电势能差。该模型为一些关于肾小球滤过器的谜团提供了新颖的潜在解决方案。
