Journal: bioRxiv
Article Title: Orthogonal Force Balance Between Contractility and Shear Stress Governs Podocyte Dynamics
doi: 10.64898/2026.01.22.701159
Figure Lengend Snippet: a, Airyscan imaging reveals integrin α3 localization at foot process peripheries in both low BP and high BP mice 60 minutes post-blebbistatin. Synaptopodin marks central actin cables (green), integrin α3 shown in red. Scale bar: 1 μm. b, Relative fluorescence intensity plots along indicated lines in panel c demonstrate enhanced integrin accumulation in high BP mice. Greater peak-to-valley intensity differences in high BP samples indicate increased peripheral concentration under elevated shear stress. c, Expansion microscopy reveals foot process boundaries in both low and high BP mice. Podocalyxin staining (magenta) clearly identifies peripheries, with integrin α3 (red) accumulation partially lost in some low BP samples. Scale bar: 1 μm. d, Integrated RFI plots from straightened foot processes show differential integrin distribution. While podocalyxin maintains two peaks surrounding central synaptopodin in both groups, integrin α3 shows widened distribution in low GFR samples versus significant peripheral accumulation in high GFR group, confirming stress-dependent redistribution. e, Airyscan imaging of human kidney samples reveals conserved integrin localization patterns. In healthy human glomerulus (left), integrin α3 (red) localizes at foot process peripheries around synaptopodin-marked central actin (green). In minimal change disease (right), integrin α3 accumulates precisely between effaced foot processes, with sarcomere-like structures (SLSs) visible as discontinuous synaptopodin signals (arrows). Scale bar: 1 μm. f, Relative fluorescence intensity plots from human samples demonstrate peripheral integrin accumulation away from central synaptopodin signals in both healthy and diseased tissue, confirming conservation of the stress-responsive redistribution mechanism across species.
Article Snippet: The first and second antibodies used included: Guinea-pig anti-mouse synaptopodin (ARP, 03-GP94-N, Waltham, MA, USA); Rabbit anti-mouse integrin-α3 (BiCell, 10003, St. Louis, MO, USA); Goat anti-mouse nephrin (R&D System, AF3159, Minneapolis, MN, USA); Goat anti-mouse podocalyxin (R&D System, AF1556, Minneapolis, MN, USA); Alexa fluor-488 Donkey anti-guinea-pig secondary (Jackson ImmunoResearch, 706-545-148, West Grove, PA, USA); Alexa fluor-594 Donkey anti-rabbit secondary (Jackson ImmunoResearch, 711-585-152, West Grove, PA, USA); Dylight-405 Donkey anti-rabbit secondary(Jackson ImmunoResearch, 711-475-152, West Grove, PA, USA); and Alexa fluor-647 Donkey anti-goat secondary (Jackson ImmunoResearch, 705-605-003, West Grove, PA, USA).
Techniques: Imaging, Fluorescence, Concentration Assay, Shear, Microscopy, Staining