Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 20, 2026
08:06
Isolation and Culture of Cells from the Nephrogenic Zone of the Embryonic Mouse Kidney
Published on: April 22, 2011
Glomerulosclerosis is transmitted by bone marrow-derived mesangial cell progenitors
F Cornacchia1, A Fornoni, A R Plati
1Vascular Biology Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida 33136, USA.
The Journal of Clinical Investigation
|December 6, 2001
Summary
Bone marrow progenitor cells can transmit glomerulosclerosis. Transplanting bone marrow from affected mice into healthy mice caused kidney disease, indicating progenitors drive glomerular damage.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Stem Cell Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Glomerulosclerosis involves scar tissue formation in the kidney's glomeruli.
- Mesangial cells are key contributors to glomerular scarring.
- The origin of mesangial cell progenitors in glomerulosclerosis was unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if bone marrow (BM)-derived progenitors carry and transmit the glomerulosclerosis phenotype.
- To determine the role of BM progenitors in the development of kidney disease.
Main Methods:
- Bone marrow transplantation from Os/+ mice (prone to glomerulosclerosis) into congenic ROP +/+ mice (normal glomeruli).
- Genotyping of recipient glomeruli to identify donor-derived cells.
- Histological analysis of kidney tissues to assess glomerular morphology and extracellular matrix deposition.
Main Results:
- Recipient glomeruli receiving Os/+ BM exhibited the Os/+ genotype, hypertrophy, and increased extracellular matrix.
- Donor-derived mesangial cell clones were identified in glomeruli with sclerosis and hypertrophy.
- +/+ BM recipients maintained normal glomeruli, confirming the disease-associated genotype/phenotype transmission.
Conclusions:
- Glomerular mesangial cell progenitors are derived from the bone marrow.
- These BM-derived progenitors can transmit a disease phenotype, leading to glomerulosclerosis and glomerular hypertrophy in normal kidneys.
- Newly arriving progenitor cells with a disease phenotype may perpetuate or worsen glomerular lesions.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Hematopoiesis
The process of blood cell formation is called hematopoiesis. Hematopoiesis starts early during development, on the seventh day of embryogenesis. This phase of hematopoiesis is called the primitive wave, wherein the extraembryonic yolk sac allows the production of erythroid cells and endothelial cells from a common precursor called hemangioblast. The erythroid cells provide oxygen to support the growth of the rapidly dividing embryo. Hemangioblasts later develop into hematopoietic stem cells or...
01:30Bone Cells and Tissue
Bones contain a relatively small number of cells entrenched in a matrix of organic and inorganic components. Although bone cells compose only a small amount of the bone volume, they are crucial to its function. Four types of cells are found within the bone tissue— osteoblasts, osteocytes, osteogenic cells, and osteoclasts.
Osteoblasts and Osteocytes
The osteoblast is the bone cell responsible for forming new bone tissue. It is found in the growing portions of bone, including the periosteum and...
Osteoblasts and Osteocytes
The osteoblast is the bone cell responsible for forming new bone tissue. It is found in the growing portions of bone, including the periosteum and...
01:34Production of Formed Elements
Hemangioblasts are multipotent stem cells originating from the mesoderm. They give rise to hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), which undergo hematopoiesis to produce all the formed elements of blood. This process is regulated by a complex network of hematopoietic growth factors, including transcription factors, growth factors, and cytokines. These factors stimulate the HSCs to divide and differentiate, though some HSCs remain undifferentiated to maintain a self-renewing pool.
Most HSCs commit to...
Most HSCs commit to...
01:22Bone Marrow Sampling and Transplants
Bone marrow transplant is a potential cure for several diseases, including cancer and specific genetic disorders. Notably, this procedure is applicable for patients suffering from aplastic anemia, certain types of leukemia, severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID), Hodgkin's disease, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma, thalassemia, sickle-cell disease, and certain cancers.
The transplant begins with high doses of chemotherapy and radiation treatment, which aim to destroy the...
The transplant begins with high doses of chemotherapy and radiation treatment, which aim to destroy the...
01:20Renal Corpuscle
The glomerulus and Bowman's capsule are two essential components of the nephron, which is the functional unit of the kidney. These microscopic structures play a critical role in the process of blood filtration to produce urine.
Glomerulus: Structure and Function
The glomerulus is a tiny, intricate network of capillaries located at the beginning of the nephron. It's enveloped by the Bowman's capsule and receives its blood supply from an afferent arteriole, which divides into numerous capillaries...
Glomerulus: Structure and Function
The glomerulus is a tiny, intricate network of capillaries located at the beginning of the nephron. It's enveloped by the Bowman's capsule and receives its blood supply from an afferent arteriole, which divides into numerous capillaries...
01:28Diabetic Nephropathy
Definition Diabetic nephropathy is a chronic kidney complication that results from prolonged hyperglycemia.Prevalence It is the most common cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) worldwide, affecting up to half of individuals with diabetes.Pathophysiology • Sustained hyperglycemia triggers multiple hemodynamic and metabolic changes in the kidney. • Early in the disease, increased renal blood flow and glomerular hyperfiltration occur due to afferent arteriolar...