Nearly all renal tubular epithelial cells express insulin receptor. The insulin receptor in the
distal tubule appears to modulate BP, but the role of the insulin receptor in the proximal
tubule is unknown. Here, we selectively knocked out the insulin receptor from the proximal
tubules of mice. Western blotting confirmed a two-to three-fold reduction in renal cortical
homogenate insulin receptor-β among knockout mice compared with wild-type littermates.
Young knockout mice exhibited a mildly diabetic phenotype, evidenced by higher fasting …