Isolation and Characterization of Chicken Mesangial Cells

Abstract

Experimental autoimmune glomerulonephritis (EAG) in chickens appears to be mediated by cellular immunity and is associated with mesangial proliferation. We have developed techniques for the culture of chicken mesangial cells to study factors in vitro which lead to this proliferation. Chicken glomeruli isolated by sieving collagenase-treated whole kidney homogenates were cultured in Waymouth’s medium MB 752/1 supplemented with 20% decomplemented fetal calf serum and 1 unit/ml insulin. Propagated cells share the following characteristics with mammalian mesangial cells: stellate and spindle-shaped morphology with an extensive microfilamentous system by light and electron microscopy; resistance to aminonucleoside of puromycin; susceptibility to mitomycin C; growth in L-valine-free medium; absent staining for factor VIII-related antigen, chicken T cell and la antigen; positive staining for fibronectin, myosin, α-actinin and desmin, and angiotensin II binding and induction of contraction. Unlike cultured mammalian mesangial cells, chicken mesangial cells avidly phagocytize latex beads and display multilamellar residual bodies on electron microscopy indicative of phagocytic activity. They differed from fibroblasts which were non-phagocytic, had different growth patterns, fluorescence staining and ultrastructural morphology. To our knowledge, this is the first description of the culture of chicken mesangial cells. This in vitro system should allow further studies of pathogenetic processes involved in the production of EAG with elucidation of mechanisms relevant to human disease.

Mesangial Cells of the Lamprey, Lampetra japonica, Store Vitamin A.

“…Immunohistochernically mammalian mesangial cells have been shown to be positive for, among other mesenchymal cell markers, vimentin, alpha smooth muscle actin (WALDHERR, ditto) and desmin (SADOVNIC et al, 1991). They provide structural support for capillary loops and modulate filtration by their smooth muscle activity.…”

“…Contraction underlies the regulation of blood flow of the capillaries and the glomerular filtration by generating vasoactive substances (AUSIELLO et al, 1980;KREISBERG, 1983;FOIDART and MAHIEU, 1986;BRENNER et al, 1986;SAKAI and KRIz, 1987;SADOVNIC et al, 1991). These cells also play a role in renewing the basal lamina by phagocytosis (SADOVNIC et al, 1991;FAWCETT,1994). Although the mesangial cells are considered as a special type either of pericytes or myofibroblasts, a common definition of them is still missing.…”