Podocyte number in children and adults: Associations with glomerular size and numbers of other glomerular resident cells

Victor G Puelles Rodriguez, Rebecca N Douglas-Denton, Luise A Cullen-McEwen, Jinhua Li, Michael D Hughson, Wendy E Hoy, Peter G Kerr, John F Bertram

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58 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Increases in glomerular size occur with normal body growth and in many pathologic conditions. In this study, we determined associations between glomerular size and numbers of glomerular resident cells, with a particular focus on podocytes. Kidneys from 16 male Caucasian-Americans without overt renal disease, including 4 children (/=18 years old), were collected at autopsy in Jackson, Mississippi. We used a combination of immunohistochemistry, confocal microscopy, and design-based stereology to estimate individual glomerular volume (IGV) and numbers of podocytes, nonepithelial cells (NECs; tuft cells other than podocytes), and parietal epithelial cells (PECs). Podocyte density was calculated. Data are reported as medians and interquartile ranges (IQRs). Glomeruli from children were small and contained 452 podocytes (IQR=335-502), 389 NECs (IQR=265-498), and 146 PECs (IQR=111-206). Adult glomeruli contained significantly more cells than glomeruli from children, including 558 podocytes (IQR=431-746; P
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2277 - 2288
Number of pages12
JournalJournal of the American Society of Nephrology
Volume26
Issue number9
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2015

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