Podocyte electrophysiology, in vivo and in vitro.

Podocytes are the most differentiated cell types in the glomerulus, which have been assumed to participate in the regulation of the ultrafiltration coefficient K(f). In podocytes in vivo and in vitro vasoactive agonists, such as angiotensin II and acetylcholine, increase the free cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration via a release of Ca(2+) from intracellular stores and an influx of Ca(2+) from the extracellular space. An increase of the cytosolic Ca(2+) in podocytes activates Cl(-) channels in podocytes in vivo and in vitro, resulting in a depolarization of podocytes. In vitro studies have shown that in addition to Ca(2+)-activated Cl(-) channels, cAMP-activated Cl(-) channels and Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels are present in cultured podocytes. The characterization of the signaling pathways that regulate ion channels in podocytes may be important in the understanding of the regulation of the ultrafiltration coefficient K(f). This review summarizes the currently known electrophysiological properties of podocytes. Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.