Distribution of actin in mesangial cell of rat glomerulus.
The localization of actin in the renal glomerulus of normal and streptozotocin (SZ) or aminonucleoside (AN) administered rats was studied by immunofluorescent and electron microscopy. The immunofluorescence (IF) for actin in normal rats showed a fine granular mesangial pattern, but the intensity was weak. An increase in positivity and an enlargement of the distribution of IF were observed in both SZ and AN administered rats, and the pattern of staining was still mesangial. Under an electron microscope, the mesangial cells showed an increase in number of microfilaments of 5 nm in diameter as well as in other cellular organelles, such as rERs and free ribosomes. These results suggest that the IF-positive substance for actin in the mesangium and the microfilaments observed in the mesangial cells by electron microscopy are identical with each other, i.e. actin filaments. Further, the mesangial cells may react by stimulation from injurious agents, such as SZ or AN, to increase the amount of actin as well as the number of other cellular organelles.
D000199:Actins / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000473:pathology*; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000473:pathology*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D000199:Actins