Podocyte

Podocytes are highly specialized, terminally differentiated epithelial cells that line the visceral layer of Bowman's capsule in the kidney and wrap around glomerular capillaries[1][2][5]. They form complex interdigitating foot processes connected by slit diaphragms, critical to the structure and function of the glomerular filtration barrier. Podocytes are essential for selective filtration: they prevent large molecules (such as proteins) from entering the urine while allowing water, ions, and small solutes to pass through. Dysfunction, injury, or loss of podocytes results in disruption of the filtration barrier, leading to proteinuria and various glomerular diseases. While podocytes themselves are not therapeutic targets in the sense of a conventional receptor or enzyme, they are the focus of disease biology and podocyte-associated proteins (e.g., nephrin, podocin) represent molecular targets for research on kidney disease[1][2][3][5][7].

Other names

Visceral epithelial cell