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TRPC channel modulation in podocytes—inching toward novel treatments for glomerular disease

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Abstract

Glomerular kidney disease is a major healthcare burden and considered to represent a sum of disorders that evade a refined and effective treatment. Excellent biological and genetic studies have defined pathways that go awry in podocytes, which are the regulatory cells of the glomerular filter. The question now is how to define targets for novel improved therapies. In this review, we summarize critical points around targeting the TRPC6 channel in podocytes.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by US National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants DK073495 and DK089394 to J.R. The authors thank Jim Stanis for help with the illustration of Fig. 3.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Leonard Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA

    Shafic El Hindi & Jochen Reiser

  2. Department of Medicine, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, 1580 NW 10th Avenue, Batchelor Bldg, 6th Fl (R-762), Miami, FL, 33136, USA

    Jochen Reiser

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  1. Shafic El Hindi
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Correspondence to Jochen Reiser.

Additional information

Answers

1) c

2) a

3) d

4) a

5) d

Questions

Questions

Answers appear following the reference list.

  1. 1.

    Which is the key cell in the kidney that regulates filtration?

    1. a)

      mesangial cell

    2. b)

      proximal tubular epithelial cell

    3. c)

      podocyte

    4. d)

      parietal epithelial cell

    5. e)

      endothelial cell

  2. 2.

    The podocyte is most similar to ?

    1. a)

      pericyte

    2. b)

      vascular smooth muscle cell

    3. c)

      adipocyte

    4. d)

      fibroblast

    5. e)

      none of the above

  3. 3.

    The glomerular slit diaphragm is ?

    1. a)

      a microvillus

    2. b)

      an intracellular contact

    3. c)

      an extension of the GBM

    4. d)

      a modified adherens junction

    5. e)

      a classical tight junction

  4. 4.

    TRPC6 is potentially a good drug target because ?

    1. a)

      it is involved in regulation of the kidney filter

    2. b)

      it is the main gene mutated in IgA nephropathy

    3. c)

      it is the TRP channel in polycystic kidney disease

    4. e)

      none of the above

  5. 5.

    Podocytes are druggable cells because ?

    1. a)

      they turn over frequently

    2. b)

      they are exposed to blood and primary urine

    3. c)

      they display active endo- and macropinocytosis

    4. d)

      b + c are correct

    5. e)

      none of the above

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El Hindi, S., Reiser, J. TRPC channel modulation in podocytes—inching toward novel treatments for glomerular disease. Pediatr Nephrol 26, 1057–1064 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00467-010-1718-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00467-010-1718-4

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