The glomerular mesangial cell may have several important beneficial functions in the normal
glomerulus. These include the production of growth factors to allow normal cell turnover, the
provision of structural support for the capillaries via the production of mesangial matrix, and
the modulation of glomerular hemodynamics via their contractile properties. However, in
various types of glomerular injury, the mesangial cell may acquire characteristics of a"
myofibroblast", which may in fact be injurious to the glomerulus. These" activated" mesangial …