New insights into the biology of peritoneal mesothelial cells: The roles of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and cellular senescence

Ultrafiltration failure due to dysfunction of the peritoneum as a dialyzing organ is a major clinical limitation of peritoneal dialysis. It is increasingly clear that mesothelial cells play an important role in fibrogenesis and vasculopathy that underlie peritoneal membrane dysfunction. New and extensively studied aspects of peritoneal mesothelial cell biology include epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and cellular senescence. We discuss the potential significance of these processes for the peritoneal membrane function. Copyright (C) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.