Figure 2.

Podocyte-specific deletion of the prorenin receptor caused glomerular sclerosis. Light microscopic examination of kidneys was performed from wild-type (WT) and conditional prorenin receptor-knockout (CKO) mice on postnatal day (P) 1, P7, P14, and P21 using periodic acid-Schiff and periodic acid-silver methenamine staining. No differences were evident on P1. On P7, focal glomerular changes, consisting of the proliferation of mesangial cells, appeared in kidneys from CKO mice. On P14, diffuse glomerular changes, such as proliferation of the mesangial matrix, segmental sclerosis, hypertrophic changes of parietal epithelial cells without crescent formations, and mild tubulointerstitial changes, such as tubular casts and dilation, were observed in kidneys from CKO mice. On P21, kidney glomeruli from CKO mice revealed diffuse and global mesangial sclerosis. Tubulointerstitial changes, including tubular dilation, tubular atrophy with disappearance of the brush border, and extensive tubular casts were prominent. Scale bars, 100 μm (left panel), 20 μm (center and right panels). Arrowheads indicate tubular casts. The asterisks indicate mesangial expansion and sclerosis.