Because loss of podocytes associates with glomerulosclerosis, monitoring podocyte loss by
measuring podocyte products in urine may be clinically useful. To determine whether a
single episode of podocyte injury would cause persistent podocyte loss, we induced limited
podocyte depletion using a diphtheria toxin receptor (hDTR) transgenic rat. We monitored
podocyte loss by detecting nephrin and podocin mRNA in urine particulates with quantitative
reverse transcriptase–PCR. Aquaporin 2 mRNA served as a kidney reference gene to …