Tubular compartments of kidneys of a diabetic animal model of DKD show increased expression of the TGF-β1 type II receptor and the activation of the Smad signaling pathway (71), suggesting that GECs and MCs under hyperglycemic stress can induce EMT in PTECs in addition to podocytes via TGF-β. This evidence concerns the gene TGFB1 and diabetic kidney disease.