Tomoko Takano

My research focuses on how the barrier function of the kidney is maintained and how proteinuria (leakage of protein in urine) contributes to the progression of kidney failure. When the kidney makes urine, it retains important proteins in the blood and eliminates waste products in the urine. When this barrier function is impaired in the kidney, proteins start to leak into the urine (proteinuria). Proteinuria is often the first manifestation of a kidney disease and the more proteinuria a patient has, the more likely they are to develop kidney failure. A particular emphasis is on the function of cells called podocytes, which play a critical role in the kidney barrier. By stopping proteinuria, we hope to arrest the progression of kidney failure. We are also interested in a disease called nephrotic syndrome that is common among young children and features heavy proteinuria. Working with the national network of pediatric kidney doctors, we are studying the blood cells of affected children to find the cause and cure of nephrotic syndrome.

Keywords:

• nephrotic syndrome
• proteinuria
• podocytes
• Rho-GTPases
• cytoskeleton