Figure 5.

Foot process effacement caused by CA-RhoA is reversible. Transmission electron micrographs are shown. (A) Double transgenic mice were treated with Dox or vehicle (−Dox) for 4 weeks. Vehicle-treated mice (left) showed normal podocyte ultrastructure (foot process effacement <10%). Low responders (middle) showed a mixture of areas with normal foot processes (inset a) and foot process effacement (inset b). High responders (right) showed more extensive effacement. (B) Double transgenic mice were treated with Dox for 4 weeks and then Dox was withdrawn (W). Kidneys were harvested 2 weeks later. Low responders (left) showed normal foot processes 2 weeks after Dox withdrawal. High responders, which had a trend of declining albuminuria (middle), showed partial restoration of foot processes (inset a), whereas other areas remained fused (inset b). High responders with sustained heavy albuminuria (right) showed persistent extensive foot process effacement even at 2 weeks after Dox withdrawal. Magnification, ×6000, Scale bars = 2 μm.