Aims: To analyse the expression of caveolin-1 in normal human kidney and during diseases leading to nephrotic syndrome in children and to compare its pattern with those observed in control samples, both human and animal. Methods and results: The study group was composed of 104 children diagnosed with minimal change disease (MCD), focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), lupus glomerulonephritis (LGN) and Schönlein-Henoch glomerulopathy (SH). The research protocol employed direct immunohistochemical assay with the use of mono- and polyclonal antibodies against caveolins. Kidney samples of Wistar rats, wild-type mice and caveolin-1-deficient mice were also analysed. In the control human samples, caveolin-1 was most abundant in the muscle layer of blood vessels and parietal epithelial cells (PECs). Its expression in PECs was significantly lower in children diagnosed with FSGS and LGN than in those with MCD, SH or in controls. In the control animal tissues, except for knock-out mice, caveolin-1 was present in distal convoluted tubules, PECs, endothelial cells and muscle. Conclusions: Caveolae are extremely stable elements of PECs and can be excluded from their cell membrane only in response to the dramatic cell reconstruction observed in FSGS and LGN.