Gene expression in the normal adult human kidney assessed by complementary DNA microarray.
The kidney is a highly specialized organ with a complex, stereotyped architecture and a great diversity of functions and cell types. Because the microscopic organization of the nephron, the functional unit of the kidney, has a consistent relationship to the macroscopic anatomy of the kidney, knowledge of the characteristic patterns of gene expression in different compartments of the kidney could provide insight into the functions and functional organization of the normal nephron. We studied gene expression in dissected renal lobes of five adult human kidneys using cDNA microarrays representing approximately 30,000 different human genes. Total RNA was isolated from sections of the inner and outer cortex, inner and outer medulla, papillary tips, and renal pelvis and from glomeruli isolated by sieving. The results revealed unique and highly distinctive patterns of gene expression for glomeruli, cortex, medulla, papillary tips, and pelvic samples. Immunohistochemical staining using selected antisera confirmed differential expression of several cognate proteins and provided histological localization of expression within the nephron. The distinctive patterns of gene expression in discrete portions of the kidney may serve as a resource for further understanding of renal physiology and the molecular and cellular organization of the nephron.
Higgins
John P T
JP
Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA. john.higgins@stanford.edu
Wang
Lingli
L
Kambham
Neeraja
N
Montgomery
Kelli
K
Mason
Veronica
V
Vogelmann
Stefanie U
SU
Lemley
Kevin V
KV
Brown
Patrick O
PO
Brooks
James D
JD
van de Rijn
Matt
M
D000328:Adult; D015870:Gene Expression; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007668:Kidney / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism*; D007672:Kidney Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000378:metabolism*; D007679:Kidney Medulla / Q000378:metabolism*; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000378:metabolism; D009399:Nephrons / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism*; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis / Q000379:methods