Utilising novel microscopy approaches to understand glomerular disease

Principal Researcher – Rachel Lennon

Each human kidney has about a million tiny filters known as glomeruli. These filters allow the body to remove toxins, excess salts and water from the body but they hold onto cells and proteins. In glomerular disease the filters leak protein and cells into the urine and this can lead to kidney failure.
We are studying glomeruli in great detail using new, powerful microscopes and we have discovered that kidney cells start to invade into the kidney scaffolds when the filters are leaking cells and proteins. We now want to work out whether this is a harmful or beneficial process and this information could lead to the development of new drugs for kidney disease.