Abstract
The nature of the glomerular filtration barrier is currently one of the most intensely studied and exciting problems in nephrology research, primarily because of the relatively recent discoveries that two novel and two previously known genes are intimately involved in glomerular filtration. The two novel genes, NPHS1 and NPHS2 (encoding nephrin and podocin, respectively) were identified by positional cloning. NPHS1 is mutated in congenital nephrotic syndrome of the Finnish type, 1 and NPHS2 is mutated in steroid resistant nephrotic syndrome. 2 The other two genes, previously characterized but not known to be involved in filtration, are ACTN4, encoding α-actinin-4, and Cd2ap, encoding CD2-associated protein (CD2AP). ACTN4 was found to be mutated in several families exhibiting inherited focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, 3 and knockout mice lacking CD2AP exhibit congenital nephrotic syndrome. 4 Several recent reviews have addressed the potential roles of these molecules in glomerular filtration. 5-10
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