SERPINE1 and chronic kidney disease: Although it has been reported that PAI‐1 leads to podocyte damage in several experimental models of CKD (Rondeau et al, 1990; Yamamoto et al, 1993; Grandaliano et al, 2000; Lee et al, 2001; Hamano et al, 2002; Paueksakon et al, 2002), as well as in humans (Eddy, 2002), the molecular mechanisms by which PAI‐1 induces podocyte loss are not yet clear.