Podocyte endowment and the impact of adult body size on kidney health

The present study shows, for the first time, that low birth weight as a result of maternal nutrition is associated with low podocyte endowment. However, a mild podocyte deficit at birth did not result in glomerular pathology in adulthood. In contrast, postnatal podocyte loss in combination with excessive body weight led to albuminuria and glomerulosclerosis. Taken together, these findings provide new insights into the associations between birth weight, podocyte indexes, postnatal weight, and glomerular pathology.