Dr. med. Hsiang-Hao Hsu Mechanisms of angiotensin II signaling on cytoskeleton of podocytes 2007 Biologie Mechanisms of angiotensin II signaling on cytoskeleton of podocytes Inaugural-Dissertation zur Erlangung des Doktorgrades der Naturwissenschaften im Fachbereich Biologie der Mathematisch-Naturrwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster vorgelegt von Dr. med. Hsiang-Hao Hsu aus Taipei -2007- Dekan: Prof. Dr. Norbert Sachser Erste Gutachter: Prof. Dr. Andreas Püschel Zweiter Gutachter: Prof. Dr. Hermann Pavenstädt Tage der mündlichen Prüfung: 04. 03. 2008 Tage der Promotion: 11. 04. 2008 Abstract Podocytes are critical for establishing the selective permeability of the glomerular filtration barrier. Sustained rennin-angiotensin system activation is crucial in the pathogenesis of podocyte injury and proteinuria. Mechanisms of angiotensin II (Ang II) modulating actin cytoskeletal dynamics of podocytes in physiological or injurious stimuli remain unclear. This work demonstrated increased expression of Rac-1 and phosphorylated ezrin/radixin/moesin (ERM) proteins in cultured mouse podocytes stably expressing Ang II type 1 receptor (AT1R) and in glomeruli of AT1R transgenic rats (Neph-hAT1 TGRs).