Figure 8.

Proposed protein-protein interaction map for the podoctye slit diaphragm. Interactions between proteins analyzed in this study are shown based on interactions listed in the I2D database³²,⁶⁹ and validated in the literature (references shown). The slit diaphragm (red) and tight junction (blue) groups of proteins are linked by a direct interaction between Neph1 and ZO-1. This is the shortest link between nephrin and occludin, cingulin, and JAM-A (shown in bold). An alternative interaction may occur between nephrin and JAM-A via PAR-3 and PAR-6 (shown with dashed line and smaller font), which were not examined experimentally in the current study. In contrast to tight junction proteins, the adherens junction proteins studied lack direct interactions with slit diaphragm proteins, but indirect interactions are present (e.g., α-catenin is linked indirectly to CD2AP through actin and indirectly to Neph1 through ZO-1).