AJP - Renal Physiology, Vol 263, Issue 1 152-F162, Copyright © 1992 by American Physiological Society
Increased functional differentiation of rabbit proximal tubule cells cultured in glucose-free media
A. Blais, F. Jalal, P. Crine, J. Paiement and A. Berteloot
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
We have determined the influence of glucose (Glc)-free medium on the growth
and differentiation of rabbit kidney proximal tubule cells (PTC) in primary
cultures. The specific growth rates and the protein-to-volume ratios are
shown to be independent of the culture conditions. In contrast, the
functional expression of four brush-border membrane enzyme markers was
found to decline steadily and in the same way from day 3 in culture up to
late confluence in Glc-containing medium, and different evolution patterns
and high expression levels were observed up to confluence in a Glc-free
glutamine (Gln)-supplemented medium. Electron microscopy clearly showed,
however, that the functional and morphological differentiation of the
brush-border membrane is not correlated. Finally, by use of an indirect
immunofluorescent technique in combination with flow cytometry, it is
demonstrated that confluent cells grown in Glc and Gln media form
homogeneous cell populations of PTC. It is thus concluded that the
functional differentiation of rabbit kidney PTC in primary cultures is
strongly dependent upon the energy source present in the culture medium.
