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To characterize Ca(2+) transport in newborn rat cortical collecting duct (CCD) cells, we used nifedipine, which in adult rat distal tubules inhibits the intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) increase in response to hormonal activation. We found that the dihydropyridine (DHP) nifedipine (20 microM) produced an increase in [Ca(2+)](i) from 87.6 +/- 3.3 nM to 389.9 +/- 29.0 nM in 65% of the cells. Similar effects of other DHP (BAY K 8644, isradipine) were also observed. Conversely, DHPs did not induce any increase in [Ca(2+)](i) in cells obtained from proximal convoluted tubule. In CCD cells, neither verapamil nor diltiazem induced any rise in [Ca(2+)](i). Experiments in the presence of EGTA showed that external Ca(2+) was required for the nifedipine effect, while lanthanum (20 microM), gadolinium (100 microM), and diltiazem (20 microM) inhibited the effect. Experiments done in the presence of valinomycin resulted in the same nifedipine effect, showing that K(+) channels were not involved in the nifedipine-induced [Ca(2+)](i) rise. H(2)O(2) also triggered [Ca(2+)](i) rise. However, nifedipine-induced [Ca(2+)](i) increase was not affected by protamine. In conclusion, the present results indicate that 1) primary cultures of cells from terminal nephron of newborn rats are a useful tool for investigating Ca(2+) transport mechanisms during growth, and 2) newborn rat CCD cells in primary culture exhibit a new apical nifedipine-activated Ca(2+) channel of capacitive type (either transient receptor potential or leak channel).

The evolution of a primary culture of rabbit kidney cortical collecting tubule was followed over a period of 10 to 11 days. The cell types of this segment were characterized by using monoclonal antibodies, specifically directed against principal (Mab 703) and intercalated (Mab 503) cells of the apical membrane. The activity of a H+ pump ATPase was revealed in Mab 503-labeled cells, confirming that these cultured cells present characteristics of intercalated cells. The primary culture was also stained with peanut agglutinin (PNA), a specific ligand of beta intercalated cells. During the first two days, some cells, mainly Mab 503-labeled cells, disappeared, and cell division did not occur. At 2 days, the culture showed 80% and 18% of Mab 703-labeled and Mab 503-labeled cells, respectively. The first mitoses were observed at 2 days. From two to four days, cell division was nestly in Mab 703-labeled cells and only rarely seen in Mab 503-labeled cells, although during this period the proportion of Mab 703-labeled cells decreased to 44% of cells and that of Mab 503-labeled cells increased to 30%. The labeling with PNA was curious. Up to 2 days, PNA stained Mab 503-labeled cells, but from 4 days it stained other cells, probably dedifferentiated ones. In our culture conditions types of cells other than Mab 703-labeled and Mab 503-labeled cells occurred. First, throughout the life of the culture, some cells were not recognized by any monoclonal antibody; their number varied between 10 and 28% of the total cell number.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The evolution of a primary culture of rabbit kidney cortical collecting duct (CCT) was followed with the electron microscope using two monoclonal antibodies directed against the principal (Mab 703) and intercalated (Mab 503) cells, respectively. As a result of the loss of the basement membrane surrounding the seeded tubule, the intercalated cells showed a tendency to be eliminated while the basal cytoplasm of the remaining cells consisting mainly of principal cells, quickly spread out at the surface of the filter. Between the first and the seventh hour, cells underwent rapid processes of both dedifferentiation and redifferentiation. At 48 h and later on, they started to proliferate with the production of many multinucleated cells. Normal mitotic divisions, in contrast, were rarely encountered. Whereas the number of intercalated cells as recognized by Mab 503 increased from the fourth day up to the tenth day corresponding to a fully mature culture, culture cells at all time intervals rather resembled principal cells found in the internal part of the cortex or in the outer stripe of the external medulla. It is suggested that in our experimental conditions, dedifferentiated principal cells give rise to both principal and intercalated cells as recognized by immunocytochemistry in the fully developed cell culture.

In this study we describe the production and characterization of two monoclonal antibodies (mAb 503 and mAb 703) raised against the apical membrane of rabbit cortical collecting tubule (CCT) cells. The specificity of the two monoclonal antibodies was studied by immunoelectron microscopy on kidney sections. These antibodies were used to identify principal and intercalated cells in primary cultures of CCT. To assess the maintenance of the basic characteristics of the cortical collecting cells during the growth process we determined the biochemical and electrophysiological properties of cultured CCT. Of the monoclonal antibodies produced mAb 503 was specifically directed against the luminal membrane of intercalated cells as shown by immunoelectron microscopy. mAb 703 bound specifically the apical membrane of the principal cells. In primary cultures of CCT mAb 503 and mAb 703 bound antigens present on the apical membrane of different cells and permitted the study of the distribution of the two cell types. Results showed the maintenance of the epithelial polarity of cultured CCT and the expression of specific antigens.

To obtain monoclonal antibodies (MAB) specific for the different cell types of distal and collecting tubules, BALB/c mice were immunized with cell suspensions highly enriched in cells from the distal segments of the rabbit nephron. Nine MAB were selected and cloned. Four groups could be identified on the basis of double-labeling immunofluorescence (IF) on frozen kidney sections and on microdissected tubules. In addition, binding specificity at the cellular level was studied by immunoelectronmicroscopy (IEM) for selected MAB. A single MAB (group 1) was specific for distal bright cells and a subpopulation of cortical ascending limb cells. Six MAB (group 2) reacted with connecting and collecting tubules. Five of these (group 2A) had similar binding patterns and reacted identically with the two tubular segments. The MAB studied by IEM was specific for connecting and principal cells. One antibody (group 2B) reacted with only a fraction of the cells associated with the connecting tubule (CNT), but with all cells of the cortical collecting tubule (CCT). By IEM, this antibody was found to be specific for intercalated cells in CNT and bound both principal and intercalated cells of the CCT. Two MAB (group 3) reacted with antigen(s) expressed by the various terminal segments of renal tubule. MAB of groups 1 and 2A, which define distal bright cells and connecting-principal cells from the CNT-CCT, respectively, were used for cell fractionation experiments. Heterogeneous rabbit cortical cells were first incubated with the selected MAB. MAB-bearing renal cells were separated on plastic dishes previously coated with an affinity-purified goat anti-mouse immunoglobulin. Using these procedures it was possible to obtain highly purified subpopulations of distal, bright, or connecting-principal cells.