ANALYSIS OF MOUSE GLOMERULAR PODOCYTE MESSENGER-RNA BY SINGLE-CELL REVERSE TRANSCRIPTION-POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION

Selective investigation of glomerular podocytes is not possible using conventional methods in vivo. Analysis of glomerular epithelium-derive d cells in culture yields dubious results because of the rapid dediffe rentiation of podocytes. We developed a modification of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method previously used to analyze cultured neuro ns. Podocytes harvested from freshly dissected glomeruli are ideal tar get cells for this modified, single cell reverse transcription-PCR met hod to reproducibly identify specific mRNA species from resident intac t podocytes in vivo.