n. a transmembrane protein localized to the slit diaphragm of the *podocyte and necessary for the proper functioning of the renal filtration barrier. The latter consists of fenestrated endothelial cells, the basement membrane, and the epithelial podocyte. A defect in the gene coding for nephrin (NPHS1) on chromosome 19 results in congenital nephrotic syndrome of Finnish type (which is not exclusive to the Finnish population).
n. an epithelial cell in the *glomerulus that spreads over the capillary basement membrane and has branching tentacle-like processes that interdigitate with adjacent cells. The podocytes leave gaps or thin filtration slits. The slits are covered by slit diaphragms, which are composed of a number of cell-surface proteins including *nephrin, podocalyxin, and P-cadherin, which ensure that large molecules, such as albumin and gammaglobulin, are not filtered. Podocytes are damaged in *minimal change nephropathy and a major target of injury in *HIVAN.... podocyte
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