Endogenous origin of glomerular endothelial and mesangial cells in
grafts of embryonic kidneys.
Hyink, Deborah Pinson, Diane C. Tucker, Patricia L. St. John, Vijittra
Leardkamolkarn, Mary Ann Accavitti, Christine K. Abrass, and Dale R.
Abrahamson.
Departments of Cell Biology, Psychology, and Medicine, University
of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, and the Department of
Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
APStracts 3:0019F, 1996.
To address origins of glomerular endothelial and mesangial cells in
embryonic mammalian kidneys, we established interspecies grafts
between rats and mice in which fetal kidneys were implanted into the
anterior eye chamber of adult hosts. After 5-7 d, hosts bearing
grafts received intravenous injections with species-specific mAbs to
matrix components. In all cases, glomerular basement membranes and
mesangial matrices labeled solely for donor-derived matrix.
Additionally, microvessel extracellular matrices within grafts were
usually of donor origin. To examine directly the origin of glomerular
endothelial and mesangial cells, we grafted E11 -12 kidneys from
normal mice into anterior eye chambers of host ROSA26 mice, which are
transgenic animals that express [beta]-galactosidase in every cell.
When grafts were developed for [beta]-galactosidase activity, host
cells were seen in peripheral vessels but the majority of glomerular
endothelial cells were of donor, not host, origin. Where host-derived
endothelial cells were found in glomeruli, donor endothelial cells
were present as well. Mesangial cells were always of donor origin.
When E11 mouse kidneys were labeled with the endothelial cell
-specific Bandeiraea simplicifolia isolectin B4, we determined that
endothelial cells are present from the inception of
metanephrogenesis. Together, the evidence shows that cells of
endogenous, kidney origin were almost entirely responsible for
development of the glomerular microvasculature in oculo. External
vessels from the host, though important for graft maintenance, were
not major contributors to the glomerulus.
Received 16 October 1995; accepted in final form 14 December
1995.
APS Manuscript Number F349-5.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Renal Fluid Electrolyte
Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1996 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 29 January 96