Fig. (12) RT-qPCR. Abundance of transcripts coding for the podocyte markers nephrin (NPHS1) and Wilms tumor 1 (WT1), the endothelial marker CD31, and the mesangial marker megsin (SERPINB7), relative to the  abundance of Gapdh-mRNA in samples of cortical kidney tissue, isolated glomeruli, and isolated podocytes  (n=4). Reflecting the marked enrichment of podocytes in podocyte isolates and the higher proportion of  podocytes in samples of isolated glomeruli, as compared to total cortical kidney tissue samples, the relative  Nphs1 and Wt1 mRNA abundances were the highest in podocyte isolates and the lowest in the renal cortex, with  that of isolated glomeruli lying in-between. While the relative abundances of Nphs1 and Wt1 in samples of  isolated podocytes were significantly higher as compared to cortical kidney tissue samples, the Nphs1 and Wt1  abundance increase in podocyte- vs. and glomerulus isolates did not reach the level of statistical significance.  Corresponding to the higher proportion of endothelial and mesangial cells in the glomerular capillary tuft as  compared to total cortical kidney tissue, and indicating a significant reduction of the proportion of endothelial  and mesangial glomerular cells in samples of isolated podocytes, the relative Cd31 and Serpin7b mRNA  abundances in samples of isolated glomeruli were significantly higher than in total cortical kidney tissue and in  podocyte isolates. Although the relative Cd31 and Serpin7b mRNA abundances in samples of isolated podocytes  were slightly higher than in samples of total cortical kidney tissue, these differences did not reach the level of  statistical significance. Data are means ±SEM. Significant differences are indicated by asterisks. *: p<0.05; *:  p<0.01; ns: not significant.