Expression of nestin in rat and human glomerular podocytes

Nestin is a neuroepithelial precursor cell marker expressed in a variety of human cell types during development. However, no information exists on the expression of nestin in mature glomeruli as well as during the glomerular development. Here, we examined nestin expression in rat and human glomerular tissues in quiescent states using RT-PCR and immunohistochemical methods. Nestin mRNA was detected in the rat glomeruli in parallel with its expression in developing rat brains. In the normal mature rat glomeruli, WT-1 positive cells expressed nestin. Co-expression of nestin and vimentin was observed in mature rat podocytes. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed nestin localization in the cell bodies and primary processes of podocytes. A similar expression pattern was observed for vimentin. In matured glomeruli, nestin was not expressed by mesangial and endothelial cells. In the newborn rat, early developing glomeruli (metanephric cap, metanephric vesicle, comma-shaped vesicle and S-shaped body phases) expressed nestin. In the capillary loop stage, Bowman's capsules also expressed nestin. Immunoelectron microscopy demonstrated that developing podocytes and endothelial cells in S-shaped phase glomeruli expressed nestin. Additionally, in immature glomeruli, the mesangial cells in capillary stage of glomerulus also expressed nexin. As in the rat, WT-1 positive cells in human glomeruli also expressed nestin and immunoelectron microscopy confirmed nestin expression in human glomerular podocytes. These results reveal that in normal condition nestin is expressed in several glomerular cell types at early stage of development and becomes confined to podocytes in mature glomeruli, thus implicating nestin in podocyte functions.