Figure 8. Schema of RA effects in crescentic GN.

Podocyte injury is the initial event leading to the development of GN. Podocytes may undergo proliferation and/or stimulate PEC proliferation through paracrine effects. RA improves renal function and reduces the number of crescents in NTS-GN mice primarily by protecting podocytes from initial injury and inhibiting proliferation of glomerular cells (podocytes and/or PECs), and possibly by inducing transdifferentiation of PECs into podocytes.