Figure 1

Distributions of ERM proteins in mouse glomeruli and histological analysis of Vil2^kd/kd mouse glomeruli. In WT mouse kidneys, glomerular localisation of ERM proteins was investigated by immunofluorescence analysis. All three proteins were commonly detected in the apical membrane of proximal tubules, but showed different localisation in glomeruli (a) left panel, green: radixin, red: ezrin and blue: moesin). In glomeruli, ezrin was exclusively detected in podocytes; radixin and moesin were detected in endothelial cells, but not podocytes (a) right three panels). Radixin and moesin co-localised with ezrin in the apical membranes of the proximal tubules (Arrow). Scale bar: 20 μm. There were no morphological abnormalities in the Vil2^kd/kd glomeruli observed by H&E staining (Scale bar: 25 μm) (b) or electron microscopic analysis (magnification × 3,610, scale bar: 2 μm) (c). Areas enclosed by dotted lines are magnified, and (magnification × 19,000) were shown in (d) and the number of foot processes/μm of glomerular basement membrane (GBM) was counted (d) right graph). Spot urine was separated by SDS-PAGE and stained with CBB. As a positive control, BSA (0.5, 1, 2.5 and 5 μg) was loaded. Apparent urinary albumin leakage was not observed in Vil2^kd/kd mouse urine (e).