Abstract:

ABSTRACT     The recent identification of mutations in INF2 (inverted formin 2) gene is a major cause of autosomal dominant focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), which encodes a member of formin family of actin-regulating proteins. INF2 can mediate the polymerization of actin and promote the formation of cytoskeleton. Podocytes are a kind of terminally differentiated cells in glomeruli, which is sensitive to cytoskeleton. INF2 can destroy the normal structure of cytoskeleton and affect the expression of podocyte protein which plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of FSGS.
 

Key words: Key Words ：familial focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, INF2 gene, formin, podocyte, cytoskeleton