title: Visceral epithelial cells in rat glomerular cell culture.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to identify and characterize visceral epithelial cells (VECs) of renal glomeruli in culture. Such cells have been described variably as regular, polygonal cells showing a high rate of replication and a cobblestone-like appearance at confluence and also as irregular, arborized and often multinucleated cells showing a very limited proliferative capacity. We examined early outgrowths from the glomeruli by immunofluorescence microscopy using antibodies specific for VECs (anti-podocalyxin(1A), anti-pp44 and 5-1-6), for endothelial cells (anti-von Willebrand factor (vWF) and RECA-1) and for mesangial cells (anti-Thy-1). 1A and anti-pp44 reacted with several types of irregular, arborized cells, but never with regular, polygonal cells. 5-1-6 did not react with any of the cells. Neither the 1A- nor anti-pp44-positive cells (1A/pp44(+) cells) stained with anti-vWF, RECA-1 or anti-Thy-1. However, all the 1A/pp44(+) cells expressed desmin and vimentin but not cytokeratin. These results show that the 1A/pp44(+) cells are derived from VECs, supporting the idea that most polygonal cells in glomerular cultures are of parietal epithelial origin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Niigata University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yaoita
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takashima
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawasaki
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawachi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kihara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000941:Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000737:chemistry; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D003893:Desmin / Q000032:analysis; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D014746:Vimentin / Q000032:analysis; D014781:Viscera / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000941:Antigens; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D003893:Desmin; C065888:IFI44 protein, human; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins; D014746:Vimentin; C001643:podocalyxin