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Immune Functions of Podocytes
Min Zhang, Hua-Jun Jiang*, Yan He, Jian-She Liu
Department of Nephrology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
Abstract: Podocytes are located at the most outer layer of the glomerular filtration barrier. As an intrinsic cell type of the glomeruli， podocytes have a special structure， and play an important role in the physiological process of kidney filtration. Some studies have shown that there is a close relationship between podocytes and glomerular diseases. Podocytes are not just passively involved in glomerular diseases. They may also actively participate in the occurrence and development of these diseases. At present it is accepted that immune mediated glomerular injuries are the causes of most glomerular diseases. However， the role of podocytes in this mechanism has not been fully illuminated. In the past， podocytes were emphasized a lot as a constitutive part of the filtration barrier， but recent results indicate that podocytes are closely related with local immunity in the kidneys， and may actively participate in the pathogenesis of glomerular diseases by immune regulation.
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