Morphological evidence that A-CAM is a major intercellular adhesion molecule in human kidney.
We have used immunocytochemistry to identify the major primary adhesion molecule of the cadherin class in human kidney. In frozen sections of kidney, A-CAM was detected using the monoclonal antibody GC4 on the surface of renal tubular epithelial cells. Renal tubular epithelium did not express L-CAM. No cadherin reactivity was found on the glomerular epithelial cells. Cultured renal tubular epithelium was studied by immunofluorescence and immunogold methods. A-CAM was found at the contact points of adjacent epithelial cells, the phenotype of which was confirmed by the demonstration of cytokeratins using the antibody CAM 5.2. The A-CAM molecule in human kidney had an Mr of 130 kD in Western blotting experiments. These results lead us to conclude that A-CAM is the major cadherin of adult human renal epithelium.
Biddlestone
L R
LR
Department of Pathology, University of Edinburgh, U.K.
Fleming
S
S
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015703:Antigens, CD; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015820:Cadherins / Q000276:immunology; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000276:immunology; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015703:Antigens, CD; C050361:CDH2 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules