In a previous Cell of The Month article, we explored the biology of the kidney. We highlighted the structure and function of the glomerulus podocytes and proximal tubules; these are specialized cell types found in the nephron, which is the kidney’s key structural and functional unit. We also touched upon some of the ways in which podocytes and proximal tubular epithelial cells can contribute to kidney disease, including inherited or acquired podocyte injury that leads to reduced filtration barrier function, and injury to the proximal tubules that is increasingly believed to play a key role in the progression from acute to chronic kidney disease, as well as most cases of renal...