We are happy to announce that USC researchers and members of UKRO’s Medical Scientific Advisory Board, Alicia McDonough, Ph.D. and Janos Peti-Peterdi, M.D., Ph.D. were recently honored for their exciting investigative work. Earlier this month, Dr. McDonough delivered the Seldin Award Lecture on “Intrarenal Mechanisms Controlling Potassium and Blood Pressure Homeostasis.” The Seldin Award Lecture … Continue reading USC Researchers Honored For Work on Hypertension and Novel Imaging of Podocytes
Podocyte-Associated Talin1 Critical for Glomerular Filtration Barrier Maintenance
Researchers from Yale University School of Medicine and University of Miami have discovered that the protein talin1 is critical to the development and maintenance of podocytes, which make up the kidney filtration barrier. They found that talin1 links integrins (the receptors that keep podocytes tightly bound to the glomerular basement membrane) to the protein actin, … Continue reading Podocyte-Associated Talin1 Critical for Glomerular Filtration Barrier Maintenance
Targeting Parietal Epithelial Cells to Treat Kidney Disease
Researchers from RWTH Aachen University in Germany have made a surprising discovery about parietal epithelial cells, kidney progenitor cells that continue to multiply throughout the life cycle. The scientists set out to prove that these cells could help generate new podocytes, which make up the kidney’s filtration barrier and are damaged in many types of … Continue reading Targeting Parietal Epithelial Cells to Treat Kidney Disease
Amniotic Fluid Stem Cells Slow Kidney Disease Progression
Scientists at the Saban Research Institute at The Children’s Hospital Los Angeles have shown that stem cells from amniotic fluid can slow kidney disease progression in mice with Alport syndrome. Treating the mice with stem cells prior to the onset of proteinuria improved survival rates, delayed the progression of kidney scarring and lessened the decline … Continue reading Amniotic Fluid Stem Cells Slow Kidney Disease Progression
Blood Pressure within Glomerulus Influences Podocyte Survival and ESRD
Scientists studying the mechanisms behind cell adhesion have made some significant discoveries about the factors that influence podocyte survival. The kidney filter barrier is made up of podocyte cells with long foot-like projections that wrap around the capillaries of the glomerulus. The slits between these projections allow smaller molecules like salts, water and sugar to … Continue reading Blood Pressure within Glomerulus Influences Podocyte Survival and ESRD
Regeneration of Podocyte Cells Offers Hope for Kidney Patients
Researchers at Stanford School of Medicine have discovered that the podocyte cells that make up the kidney filter membrane may be able to regenerate during normal kidney function. Scientists have long believed that these cells, which suffer damage in more than 90 percent of chronic kidney diseases, such as FSGS and diabetic nephropathy, could not … Continue reading Regeneration of Podocyte Cells Offers Hope for Kidney Patients