Nel images indicate the region of high magnification shown in the right panel. Experiments were performed with cells at different passages. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0066750.g(Invitrogen). After an initial denaturation step at 94uC for 3 minutes, 35 cycles of 1 minute at 94uC, 1 minute of hybridization at 60uC and 1 minute of extension at 72uC were carried out. A final extension period of 7 Mirin minutes was performed at 72uC. RTPCR products were loaded onto 1 agarose gels, stained with ethidium bromide and visualized under an UV-transilluminator.Statistical analysisData are presented as means 6 SD. Continuous data were analyzed using a Student’s t-test and a p- value ,0.05 was considered to indicate a significant difference.Results Isolation of PT cellsPrimary cultures were successfully established from sixteen fresh nephrectomy specimens. After 48 hours in culture, cultured renal cells exhibited the cobblestone-like appearance characteristic of epithelial cells (data not shown). Cells were isolated by FACS using antibodies to CD10 (neutral endopeptidase) and CD13 (aminopeptidase M), two markers previously described in PT cells [2,8]. After cells sorting,the average percentage of CD10+, CD13+ and CD10/CD13 double positive cells, was about 8 , 33 and 4 , respectively (Figure 1A). The specificity of these antibodies was shown by 16985061 isotype labeling (Figure 1B). When seeded onto plastic, cells formed monolayers and within two days, grew into small colonies. A few days after reaching confluency, the formation of domes characteristic of functional epithelial cells in culture was observed; these were more frequently noted in FBS-free EGF-supplemented medium [2] (Figure 2A). The CD10+ and CD13+ cell populations appeared heterogeneous, with some cells exhibiting an epithelial morphology while others presented a more elongated appearance (Figure 2A). In addition, different medium formulations were tested: FBSfree EGF-supplemented medium (Figure 2A) and FBS (10 )supplemented medium without EGF (Figure 2B). In FBS-free medium, cells exhibited an epithelial morphology whereas in medium with FBS, cells exhibited an elongated fibroblast-like morphology (Figure 2B).Phenotypic characterizationThe initial characterization of sorted cells focused on detection of specific markers by western blotting. CD10/CD13 doublePrimary Human Proximal Renal Culture ModelFigure 6. Ultrastructural morphology of cells. PT cells at passage 4 were seeded onto (A) uncoated transwell filters (620 000), (B, C) SIS3 supplier collagen IVcoated filters (620 000, 6140 000) and (D) MatrigelH-coated filters (612 000). CD10/CD13 double-negative cells at passage 4 were seeded onto (E) uncoated transwell filters (612 000) and (F) collagen IV-coated filters (620 000). PT cells displayed a polarized morphology and exhibited tight junctions (TJ), long microvilli (M) and desmosomes (D). CD10/CD13 double-negative cells displayed a polarized morphology and exhibited tight junctions and short microvilli. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0066750.gpositive cells expressed the specific proximal tubule markers aquaporin-1 and N-cadherin, but did not express MUC1 (also known as epithelial membrane antigen), a specific distal tubule and collecting duct marker. By contrast, CD10/CD13 double-negative cells expressed MUC1 but not aquaporin-1 or N-cadherin (Figure 3). Similarly, immunofluorescence labeling revealed that CD10/CD13 double-positive cells were positive for aquaporin-1 but negative for MUC1 and E-cadherin, another dis.Nel images indicate the region of high magnification shown in the right panel. Experiments were performed with cells at different passages. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0066750.g(Invitrogen). After an initial denaturation step at 94uC for 3 minutes, 35 cycles of 1 minute at 94uC, 1 minute of hybridization at 60uC and 1 minute of extension at 72uC were carried out. A final extension period of 7 minutes was performed at 72uC. RTPCR products were loaded onto 1 agarose gels, stained with ethidium bromide and visualized under an UV-transilluminator.Statistical analysisData are presented as means 6 SD. Continuous data were analyzed using a Student’s t-test and a p- value ,0.05 was considered to indicate a significant difference.Results Isolation of PT cellsPrimary cultures were successfully established from sixteen fresh nephrectomy specimens. After 48 hours in culture, cultured renal cells exhibited the cobblestone-like appearance characteristic of epithelial cells (data not shown). Cells were isolated by FACS using antibodies to CD10 (neutral endopeptidase) and CD13 (aminopeptidase M), two markers previously described in PT cells [2,8]. After cells sorting,the average percentage of CD10+, CD13+ and CD10/CD13 double positive cells, was about 8 , 33 and 4 , respectively (Figure 1A). The specificity of these antibodies was shown by 16985061 isotype labeling (Figure 1B). When seeded onto plastic, cells formed monolayers and within two days, grew into small colonies. A few days after reaching confluency, the formation of domes characteristic of functional epithelial cells in culture was observed; these were more frequently noted in FBS-free EGF-supplemented medium [2] (Figure 2A). The CD10+ and CD13+ cell populations appeared heterogeneous, with some cells exhibiting an epithelial morphology while others presented a more elongated appearance (Figure 2A). In addition, different medium formulations were tested: FBSfree EGF-supplemented medium (Figure 2A) and FBS (10 )supplemented medium without EGF (Figure 2B). In FBS-free medium, cells exhibited an epithelial morphology whereas in medium with FBS, cells exhibited an elongated fibroblast-like morphology (Figure 2B).Phenotypic characterizationThe initial characterization of sorted cells focused on detection of specific markers by western blotting. CD10/CD13 doublePrimary Human Proximal Renal Culture ModelFigure 6. Ultrastructural morphology of cells. PT cells at passage 4 were seeded onto (A) uncoated transwell filters (620 000), (B, C) collagen IVcoated filters (620 000, 6140 000) and (D) MatrigelH-coated filters (612 000). CD10/CD13 double-negative cells at passage 4 were seeded onto (E) uncoated transwell filters (612 000) and (F) collagen IV-coated filters (620 000). PT cells displayed a polarized morphology and exhibited tight junctions (TJ), long microvilli (M) and desmosomes (D). CD10/CD13 double-negative cells displayed a polarized morphology and exhibited tight junctions and short microvilli. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0066750.gpositive cells expressed the specific proximal tubule markers aquaporin-1 and N-cadherin, but did not express MUC1 (also known as epithelial membrane antigen), a specific distal tubule and collecting duct marker. By contrast, CD10/CD13 double-negative cells expressed MUC1 but not aquaporin-1 or N-cadherin (Figure 3). Similarly, immunofluorescence labeling revealed that CD10/CD13 double-positive cells were positive for aquaporin-1 but negative for MUC1 and E-cadherin, another dis.
