At 28 weeks of age, fl/fl;db/db mice showed significantly lower urinary albumin to creatinine ratios (Fig. 5c) and mesangial expansion (Fig. 5d) compared to +/+;db/db mice, suggesting a protective effect of the podocyte-specific deletion of Smpdl3b in DKD progression in this model. This evidence concerns the gene SMPDL3B and diabetic kidney disease.