Abstract
There have been exciting recent advances in our understanding of the structural and molecular biology of the glomerular slit diaphragm, as described in a report in this issue of the JCI. These findings, combined with data on the permeability of the basement membrane and evidence that the endothelium may be a more important barrier than often supposed, are allowing a clearer understanding to emerge of how the 3 parts of the glomerular capillary wall jointly determine its functional properties.
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Basement Membrane / metabolism
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Basement Membrane / ultrastructure
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Capillaries / physiology*
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Capillaries / ultrastructure
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Capillary Permeability*
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Endothelium, Vascular / metabolism
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Endothelium, Vascular / ultrastructure
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Epithelial Cells / metabolism
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Epithelial Cells / ultrastructure
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Humans
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Kidney Glomerulus / blood supply*
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Kidney Glomerulus / ultrastructure
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Membrane Proteins
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Mice
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Mice, Knockout
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Models, Biological
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Proteins / chemistry
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Proteins / genetics
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Proteins / metabolism*
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Proteins / ultrastructure
Substances
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Membrane Proteins
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Proteins
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nephrin