Sulfatases, in Particular Sulf1, Are Important for the Integrity of the Glomerular Filtration Barrier in Zebrafish

Figure 3

Ultrastructural impairment of the glomerular filtration barrier in larvae. Transmission electron microscopy imaging was used to detect ultrastructural changes in glomeruli after , , and induced by MO injection in Tg(l-fabp:eGFP-DBP) transgene zebrafish embryos at a one to two cell stage. Collection of larvae for imaging was done at 96 hpf. CTRL zebrafish injected with a control morpholino (CTRL-MO) show no sign of glomerular injury. larvae display an intermittent reduction of glomerular endothelial fenestration and partial podocyte foot process effacement. causes only mild podocyte foot process effacement but decreases the fenestration of the endothelium markedly. A striking glomerular phenotype is detected in larvae with a combined Sulf1, 2a and 2b^KD. Larvae display an irregular widening of the glomerular basement membrane while the endothelial fenestration is distinctly diminished. Effaced foot processes can furthermore be detected in the combined knockdown larvae. Black arrow: widening of the glomerular basement membrane, white arrow: reduced endothelial fenestration. Scale bar = 1 μm.