Slit diaphragms are essential components of the glomerular filtration apparatus, as changes
in these junctions are the hallmark of proteinuric diseases. Slit diaphragms, considered
specialized adherens junctions, contain both unique membrane proteins (eg., nephrin,
podocin, and Neph1) and typical adherens junction proteins (eg., P-cadherin, FAT, and
catenins). Whether slit diaphragms also contain tight junction proteins is unknown. Here,
immunofluorescence, immunogold labeling, and cell fractionation demonstrated that rat slit …