Figure 4.

Progressive GBM abnormalities in CD-1 nephrin^Y3F/Y3F mice. (A) Transmission EM depicting changes in basement membrane morphology in nephrin^Y3F/Y3F animals compared with nephrin^WT/WT animals. At 1 and 2 months of age, there are focal regions of thickened GBM and evidence of splitting (arrows) in Y3F animals, and at 6 months, numerous subepithelial humps associated with extensive regions of effacement can be seen. (B) Box and whisker (5%–95%) plots of individual foot process widths measured via transmission EM (n=2–3 mice analyzed per group with a minimum of 50 measurements per mouse). **P<0.01 by ANOVA. (C) Light microscopy analysis of silver-stained sections from 6-month-old WT and Y3F mice. Diffuse light brown staining highlights the expanded GBM and membrane humps in Y3F mice (lower panel). Scale bars, 2 μm in A; 20 μm in C.