A high-throughput, in vitro assessment of antibiotic induced podocyte injury

The glomerulus is the structure in the kidney that filters small molecules and waste products from the blood into the urine. Within the glomerulus, specialised epithelial cells, known as podocytes, form a size-selective sieve from their foot-like processes that surround blood vessels. Thus, forming the Glomerular Filtration Barrier (GFB). Prolonged exposure to compounds in the bloodstream can result in drug-induced injury, disrupting the GFB. Disruption of the GFB allows for passage of larger proteins from the blood to the filtrate, resulting in proteinuria. A key indication of proteinuria is the presence of Albumin in urine (Albuminuria).