Fig. 10.

Parietal epithelial cell (PEC)-derived proteins colocalize with the activated PEC marker CD44 in mice with experimental focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). Double staining was performed for CD44 (red) and PEC-derived extracellular matrix proteins (green). A−C: normal mice. The merged images show staining for LAMB1 (A), perlecan (B), and COL4A2 (C) but not CD44 in normal glomeruli. A¹−C³: individual stains for LAMB1, perlecan, and COL4A2. D−F: FSGS mice. Merged images show colocalization (yellow) of CD44 in PECs with LAMB1 (D and D³), perlecan (E and E³), and COL4A2 (F and F³). D¹, D², E¹, E², F¹, and F²: corresponding individual stainings for LAMB1 (D¹ and D²), perlecan (E¹ and E²), and COL4A2 (F¹ and F²). Single and merged higher magnifications of the insets are shown in D⁴–F⁶. These results are consistent with activated PECs expressing increased LAMB1, perlecan, and COL4A2 isoforms in FSGS. Original magnification: ×400. Scale bars = 20 μm.