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Dynamics of glial fibrillary acidic protein distribution in cultured glomerular podocytes and mesangial cells of the rat kidney
Author(s) -
Buniatian Gayane,
Gebhardt Rolf,
Traub Peter,
Mecke Dieter,
Osswald Hartmut
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
biology of the cell
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.543
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1768-322X
pISSN - 0248-4900
DOI - 10.1111/j.1768-322x.1999.tb01112.x
Subject(s) - desmin , glial fibrillary acidic protein , biology , vimentin , immunolabeling , podocyte , microbiology and biotechnology , intermediate filament , kidney , gfap stain , mesangial cell , cytoskeleton , pathology , cell culture , synaptopodin , immunohistochemistry , cell , endocrinology , immunology , biochemistry , proteinuria , medicine , genetics
Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) has recently been shown to be expressed in the glomerular podocytes and mesangial cells (MC) of kidney (Buniatian et al (1998) Biol Cell 90, 53–61). The different localization of GFAP in podocytes and MC has raised the question whether this might reflect specific cellular functions. To address this question, in the present study podocytes and MC in early (2, 3 day‐old), prolonged (5, 7 day‐old) and late (14, 21 day‐old) primary cultures from out‐growths of glomerular explants were used. Double‐immunolabeling studies demonstrated that podocytes transiently acquire myofibroblastic features, characterized by the expression of smooth muscle alpha‐actin (SMAA) and increased perinuclear reaction of GFAP in prolonged cultures. The morphological differentiation of cobblestone‐like podocytes into process‐bearing cells was followed by loss of the myofibroblastic marker, SMAA, de novo expression of desmin, and distribution of GFAP, vimentin and desmin into the processes. In late culture, GFAP and SMAA were nearly absent from the podocytes which maintained the cobblestone‐like morphology. By contrast, the myofibroblastic features gained by MC during prolonged culturing increased with time. A myofibroblast‐like cytoskeleton of podocytes and MC similar to that of healthy astrocytes suggests an increased spectrum of functional activities of these cells during the acquisition of myofibroblastic features. In addition, the present study provides a new combination of biochemical and biological features by which podocytes and MC can be distinguished in culture.