Fig. 1
From: Research progress on multiple cell death pathways of podocytes in diabetic kidney disease
Pathological changes of podocytes in DKD. The kidney is comprised of functional units, nephrons, each of which is made of a glomerulus and a tubule. The normal healthy glomerulus includes afferent arterioles, efferent arterioles, capillary loops, endothelial cells, basement membrane, podocytes, parietal cells, and tubule epithelial cells. Foot processes from neighboring podocytes interdigitate and are connected by a modified adherent junction called a slit-diaphragm that provides intercellular space for the passage of glomerular filtrate. Podocyte foot processes, basement membrane, and endothelial cells form a tight filtration barrier in the glomerulus. Podocytes are lost due to death and detachment. Hyperglycemia-induced ROS release plays an important role in the process