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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 28, 2026

Isolation of Primary Human Proximal Tubule Epithelial Cells and Their Use in Creating a Microphysiological Model of the Renal Proximal Tubule

Isolation of Primary Human Proximal Tubule Epithelial Cells and Their Use in Creating a Microphysiological Model of the Renal Proximal Tubule

Published on: May 9, 2025

Human proximal tubule cells form functional microtissues.

Jenny A Prange¹, Manuela Bieri¹, Stephan Segerer²

¹Institute of Physiology, Zurich Center for Integrative Human Physiology (ZIHP), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.

Pflugers Archiv : European Journal of Physiology

|December 18, 2015

Summary

Researchers developed functional kidney microtissues using human renal proximal tubular epithelial cells. These microtissues mimic in vivo properties and offer a better model for drug toxicity screening.

Keywords:

Albumin Drug toxicity Endocytosis Epithelial cells Primary culture

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Last Updated: Mar 28, 2026

Isolation of Primary Human Proximal Tubule Epithelial Cells and Their Use in Creating a Microphysiological Model of the Renal Proximal Tubule

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Development of Human Renal Tubular Epithelial Cell Primary Cultures in Monolayers and Three-Dimensional Conditions

Development of Human Renal Tubular Epithelial Cell Primary Cultures in Monolayers and Three-Dimensional Conditions

Published on: June 13, 2025

Area of Science:

Nephrology
Toxicology
Biotechnology

Background:

Traditional 2D cell cultures for drug toxicity studies use immortalized cells that lose in vivo characteristics.
Differentiated, organotypic human microtissues could overcome limitations of current models for kidney drug toxicity assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

To generate and characterize kidney microtissues from human renal proximal tubular epithelial cells for improved drug toxicity studies.
To evaluate the functional properties, including endocytosis, of these microtissues.

Main Methods:

Kidney microtissues were generated using hanging drop culture plates with immortalized (HK-2) and primary (HRPTEpiC) human renal proximal tubular epithelial cells, co-cultured with fibroblasts.
Characterization involved morphology, proliferation, differentiation markers, and albumin endocytic uptake assays.
Electron microscopy was used to assess epithelial differentiation markers.

Main Results:

Successful generation of kidney microtissues from both cell types.
Primary HRPTEpiC microtissues exhibited less proliferation and expressed differentiation markers, including microvilli and tight junctions.
Co-cultured HRPTEpiC microtissues demonstrated specific albumin uptake, inhibitable by cadmium and gentamicin.

Conclusions:

A reliable hanging drop protocol for generating functional kidney microtissues from proximal tubular epithelial cells was established.
These microtissues serve as a valuable model for high-throughput drug and toxicology screenings, utilizing endocytosis as a functional readout.