podocyte

Podocytes are specialized epithelial cells that form the outer layer of the glomerular capillaries in the kidney's renal corpuscle. These cells are crucial for glomerular filtration, the initial step in urine formation. Podocytes have foot processes, called pedicels, that interdigitate, creating narrow filtration slits. These slits, along with the basement membrane and the capillary endothelium, form a barrier that prevents large molecules like proteins from entering the filtrate while allowing water and small solutes to pass through. Damage to podocytes can lead to proteins leaking into the urine, a sign of kidney disease.1