ラット腎糸球体およびラット腎尿細管のコラーゲン・ゲル培養

Abstract

The present study relates to the chronological morphological examination of the effects of collagen gel matrix on the growth of renal tissue cultures. Glomeruli, small clumps of tubules and isolated renal tubular preparations were dissociated from rat kidney. These tissues were cultured on and within collagen gel. When glomeruli were cultured on collagen gel, we observed monolayer outgrowth of cobblestone-like cells. After about 7 days, fibroblast-like cells appeared. However, when glomeruli were cultured within collagen gel, we observed only the outgrowth of a few fibroblast-like cells. In the small clumps of tubules cultured on collagen gel surface, cobblestone-like cells appeared after about 3 days. These cells remained in culture for a long time (about 7 days). After that, fibroblast cells were seen. When the small clumps of tubules were cultured within collagen gel, we observed three-dimensional outgrowths. In general, they gave a duct-like appearance. Rarely, they gave a foot process-like appearance. When isolated renal tubular preparations were embedded within a three-dimensional collagen gel matrix, a duct-like appearance was shown. The growth of such duct-like structures increased by addition of epidermal growth factor (EGF). These observations indicate that collagen as extra-cellular matrix plays a very important role in the growth of renal tubular epidermal cells.