Morphogenesis of MDCK cells in a collagen gel matrix culture under stromal adipocyte-epithelial cell interaction.
BACKGROUND
The stromal-epithelial cell interaction is essential for epithelial morphogenesis. Recently, the specific stromal cell type adipocytes, which abundantly exist in perirenal adipose tissue, have been suggested to affect the biological behavior of some epithelial cell types. However, adipocyte-renal epithelial cell interaction remains unclear. We thus examined the effects of adipocytes on the morphogenesis of renal epithelial cells.


METHODS
The renal epithelial cell line, Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK), cells were cultured in three-dimensional collagen gel matrix with or without mature unilocular adipocytes. Cultures cells were examined by histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopy.


RESULTS
Adipocytes extensively promoted the tubule formation of MDCK cells in two different manners. In the first type, after approximately 20% of MDCK cells actively adhered to adipocytes; they organized double-cell structured tubules between the adipocytes and the gel, contacting directly with the entire surface of the adipocytes. In the second type, approximately 70% of MDCK cells apart from adipocytes also formed tubules that had no contact with adipocytes. The component cells of both tubule types at the apical side showed microvilli and peanut agglutinin lectin-positive stain. These cells at the basal side had the basal lamina and type IV collagen-positive stain.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that the specific stromal cell type adipocytes cause MDCK cells to organize the well-polarized tubular structures in two different manners according to their direct and indirect interactions, suggesting that adipocytes may be involved in the regulatory mechanism of renal epithelial morphogenesis.
Shimazu
K
K
Department of Pathology, Saga Medical School, Nabeshima, Saga, Japan. g9705@post.saga-med.ac.jp
Toda
S
S
Miyazono
M
M
Sakemi
T
T
Sugihara
H
H
D016475:3T3 Cells; D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000494:pharmacology; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D002460:Cell Line; D018920:Coculture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D003094:Collagen / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D005782:Gels; D066257:Heparin-binding EGF-like Growth Factor; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II / Q000378:metabolism; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D007668:Kidney / Q000166:cytology*; D007797:Laminin / Q000494:pharmacology; D020738:Leptin / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008863:Microspheres; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000494:pharmacology; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000166:cytology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005782:Gels; C587884:Hbegf protein, mouse; D066257:Heparin-binding EGF-like Growth Factor; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D007797:Laminin; D020738:Leptin; D011509:Proteoglycans; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C059485:matrigel; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II; D003094:Collagen