Abnormal glomerular visceral epithelial cell morphology

What it means

Any structural anomaly of the podocyte, which is a highly specialized cell of the Bowman capsule and which forms multiple interdigitating foot processes. Podocytes are interconnected by slit diaphragms and cover the exterior basement membrane surface of the glomerular capillary.

Podocytes (or visceral epithelial cells) are terminally differentiated cells lining the outer surface of the glomerular capillaries. As a major component of the ultrafiltration apparatus, podocytes have a complex cellular architecture consisting of cell body, major processes that extend outward from their cell body, forming interdigitated foot processes that enwrap the glomerular capillaries.

Rare diseases that can present with this1

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category

Also called: Abnormal podocyte morphology · Abnormal visceral epithelial cell morphology