Actin filament organization of foot processes in rat podocytes

The foot processes of podocytes possess abundant microfilaments and modulate glomerular filtration. We investigated the actin filament organization of foot processes in adult rat podocytes and the formation of the actin cytoskeletal system of immature podocytes during glomerulogenesis. Electron microscopy revealed two populations of actin cytoskeletons in foot processes of adult podocytes. One is the actin bundle running above the level of slit diaphragms and the other is the cortical actin network located beneath the plasmalemma. Immunogold labeling for actin-binding proteins demonstrated that alpha-actinin and synaptopodin were localized in the actin bundle, whereas cortactin was in the cortical actin network. Immunofluorescence labeling for actin-binding proteins in immature podocyte showed that alpha-actinin was localized at the level of the junctional complex, whereas cortactin was distributed beneath the entire plasmalemma. Synaptopodin was first observed along the basal plasmalemma from the advanced S-shaped body to the capillary loop stage. We conclude that foot processes have specialized actin filamentous organization and that its establishment is associated with the expression and redistribution of actin-binding proteins during development.