Podocyte-specific loss of Cdc42 leads to congenital nephropathy

RP Scott, SP Hawley, J Ruston, J Du… - Journal of the …, 2012 - journals.lww.com
Rho family GTPases are molecular switches best known for their pivotal role in dynamic
regulation of the actin cytoskeleton. The prototypic members of this family are Cdc42, Rac1,
and RhoA; these GTPases contribute to the breakdown of glomerular filtration and the
resultant proteinuria, but their functions in normal podocyte physiology remain poorly
understood. Here, mice lacking Cdc42 in podocytes developed congenital nephropathy and
died as a result of renal failure within 2 weeks after birth. In contrast, mice lacking Rac1 or …