In vivo imaging of kidney glomeruli transplanted into the anterior chamber of the mouse eye.
Multiphoton microscopy enables live imaging of the renal glomerulus. However, repeated in vivo imaging of the same glomerulus over extended periods of time and the study of glomerular function independent of parietal epithelial and proximal tubular cell effects has not been possible so far. Here, we report a novel approach for non-invasive imaging of acapsular glomeruli transplanted into the anterior chamber of the mouse eye. After microinjection, glomeruli were capable of engrafting on the highly vascularized iris. Glomerular structure was preserved, as demonstrated by podocyte specific expression of cyan fluorescent protein and by electron microscopy. Injection of fluorescence-labeled dextrans of various molecular weights allowed visualization of glomerular filtration and revealed leakage of 70 kDa dextran in an inducible model of proteinuria. Our findings demonstrate functionality and long-term survival of glomeruli devoid of Bowman's capsule and provide a novel approach for non-invasive longitudinal in vivo study of glomerular physiology and pathophysiology.
1] Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA [2] Division of Nephrology, University Hospital Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
Andreas D
AD
Kistler
Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Florida, USA.
Alejandro
A
Caicedo
Diabetes Research Institute, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida.
Midhat H
MH
Abdulreda
Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.
Christian
C
Faul
Clinical Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Dontscho
D
Kerjaschki
1] Diabetes Research Institute, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida [2] The Rolf Luft Research Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Per-Olof
PO
Berggren
1] Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA [2] Department of Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
Jochen
J
Reiser
1] Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA [2] Diabetes Research Institute, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida.
Alessia
A
Fornoni
D000818:Animals; D000869:Anterior Eye Segment / Q000601:surgery*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000637:transplantation*; D051379:Mice; D008845:Microinjections; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010539:Permeability; D050199:Podocytes / Q000166:cytology
C485182:Cyan Fluorescent Protein; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins