Table 1.

Key functions and responses of intrinsic glomerular cells

Cell Type	Normal Function and Features	Responses to Injury	Relevant Glomerular Diseases (Examples)
Mesangial cells	Maintain structural architecture of glomerulus	Lysis with healthy remodeling	IgA nephropathy
	Mesangial matrix homeostasis	Apoptosis	Diabetic nephropathy
	Regulate filtration surface area	Hypertrophy
	Phagocytose apoptotic cells	Proliferation and matrix expansion leading to glomerulosclerosis
Glomerular endothelial cells	Fenestrations and glycocalyx facilitate selective permeability and filtration	Apoptosis	ANCA-associated GN
		Loss of fenestrations	Lupus nephritis (class 3 and 4)
		Widening of cell-cell junctions, transcellular holes	Hemolytic uremic syndrome
		Glycocalyx damage, loss of GAG synthesis	Diabetic nephropathy
Podocytes	Foot processes wrap around capillaries	Apoptosis	Minimal change disease
	Adherence to GBM	Foot process effacement	FSGS
	Slit diaphragm regulates filtration	Detachment from GBM, podocyte loss	Diabetic nephropathy
		Loss of slit diaphragm
Parietal epithelial cells	Line Bowman’s capsule	Apoptosis	Crescentic GN
	Several subsets of cells likely with different functions	Migration to glomerular tuft, production of ECM proteins leading to glomerulosclerosis	FSGS
	Subset of cells may be able to differentiate into podocytes and play a reparative function	Proliferation leading to crescent and pseudocrescent formation

GAG, glycosaminoglycan; GBM, glomerular basement membrane; ECM, extracellular matrix.