Dedifferentiated proximal tubular epithelial cells in diabetic kidney disease: pathogenic roles, repair potential, and therapeutic implications
Proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTECs) are more susceptible to damage due to their high energy requirements. The apoptosis of PTECs has been thought as the main cause of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). However, the reported apoptotic rate was around 5%-25%, suggesting that apoptosis alone cannot fully explain disease...