part_of part of part of capable of capable_of capable of phagocyte mesangial cell glomerular mesangial cell A mesangial cell located among the glomerular capillaries in a renal corpuscle. Like smooth muscle, a glomerular mesangial cell is contractile and possesses the filaments actin and myosin. The contractile mechanism is also similar to that of smooth muscle, with Ca2+/calmodulin-activated myosin light-chain kinase instigating myosin-actin cross-bridge cycling. Mesangial cell phagocytosis of apoptotic neutrophils involves a novel CD36-independent, alpha(v)beta3/TSP-mediated mechanism that is uncoupled from chemokine secretion, emphasizing the injury-limiting potential of mesangial cell phagocytosis of apoptotic cells. KUPO:0001032 intraglomerular mesangial cell glomerular cell renal interstitial pericyte actin-mediated cell contraction Homo sapiens Homo sapiens glomerular mesangium