These data suggest that CCL3, CSF3 and TNFAIP6 may be podocyte specific markers which are activated rapidly after the exposure to a circulating factor(s) present in the sera of patients with FSGS but that do not remain activated at the stage of clinical manifestation of the disease, while the other 12 genes remain activated. This evidence concerns the gene CCL3 and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.