Syndecan-4: major player or innocent bystander of the endothelial glycocalyx?

Glycocalyces are the pericellular coat of glycoproteins, glycolipids, and proteoglycans. Yet the exploration of glycocalyx function is still ongoing because of the availability of investigative tools capable of discerning the function of one component without inflicting collateral changes in the organization/function of other constituents. The current report by Ramnath et al. explores the function of one family of molecules, the syndecans, as potential regulators of endothelial cell glycocalyx thickness in normal and diabetic glomeruli.