SDC2 and glomerulosclerosis: SDC2 expression is increased in the tubulo-interstitium of kidneys from type II diabetic patients, and its inducible role in fibrosis has been demonstrated in Syndecan 4 deficient mice, where SDC2 is up-regulated in parallel with TGFβ during unilateral nephrectomy-induced glomerulosclerosis [24], [25].