Nephrin ELISAs

What is Nephrin?

Nephrin ELISA
Nephrons of the human kidney

Nephrin is a transmembrane protein expressed in renal glomerular podocytes, the visceral epithelial cells that line the outer aspect of the glomerular basement membrane, and is an integral component of the slit diaphragm which connects adjacent podocyte foot processes. The slit diaphragm regulates the passage of plasma proteins across the glomerular filtration barrier and is critical for kidney function. Mutation of the nephrin gene, altered nephrin production, and abnormal podocyte function lead to proteinuria in diseases affecting the glomerulus such as nephrotic syndrome and diabetes.

Podocyte injury may be accompanied by shedding of the nephrin protein and/or of podocytes into the urine, and studies in experimental animals and in human diabetes support the hypothesis that nephrinuria is a marker for, and may reflect severity of, glomerular filtration dysfunction. ELISA measurement of urinary nephrin may provide an avenue for detection of early renal dysfunction and/or for assessing response to therapeutic interventions in experimental animal and clinical research.

Why choose Exocell Nephrin ELISAs?

Our Nephrin ELISAs efficiently assess glomerular integrity in studies of diabetes, renal disease, and other pathogenic processes with our ready-to-use Nephrin ELISA kits.

Used as a biomarker for kidney injury and dysfunction, urinary nephrin levels are an important research tool for studying renal diseases and diabetes. Advance these studies with our Nephrin ELISA Kits, optimized for nephrin detection in human and rat urine samples. Part of our reliable Exocell ELISA portfolio, both human and rat kits are configured as competitive ELISAs for specific and robust detection without the need for extensive sample pre-processing. Detection is using an indirect method, with a primary antibody raised in mouse against the N-terminal portion of the nephrin protein from either rats (for the rat ELISA) or humans (for the human ELISA), and an anti-mouse secondary antibody conjugated to horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Measurement is accomplished via a colorimetric substrate that absorbs at 450 nm (note that because these are competitive assays, increasing nephrin levels result in decreasing signal).

The Nephrin ELISA Kits are part of our Exocell portfolio and deliver the same reliable results and expert support that Exocell customers know to expect, including reagents that are ready-to-use either as is or with only moderate dilution. Quantitation is simplified through the use of the Creatinine Companion, which enables normalization to creatinine levels to account for variable urine concentration.