Parietal epithelial cells role in repair versus scarring after glomerular injury.
Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens 2021;
29:293-301. [PMID:
32235272 DOI:
10.1097/mnh.0000000000000600]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
The recent years have been marked by the publication of several articles highlighting the pathophysiological role of glomerular parietal epithelial cells (PEC) and refining their phenotypic heterogeneity.
RECENT FINDINGS
The present review synthetizes recent findings on (i) the potential regenerative role of PEC in glomerular diseases, and (ii) the mechanisms and signaling of leading to PEC pathogenic involvement in crescentic glomerulonephritis (CGN) and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS).
SUMMARY
The debate is still open regarding the podocyte regenerative properties of PEC in glomerular disease, whereas the pathogenic involvement of PEC activation in glomerular disease is increasingly admitted. Recent highlights on the podocyte regenerative role of PEC, on one hand, and on their pathological function, on the other hand, for sure will feed the debate in the kidney community for the next years. Nevertheless, from a therapeutic perspective, the two options, boosting cellular regeneration and blocking PECs pathogenicity, should not be seen as antagonistic but, rather, complementary.
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