Functional properties of glomerular cells in culture

With the development of techniques to isolate and propagate homogeneous cultures of glomerular cell types, numerous investigations have been initiated to study the functional characteristics of cultured glomerular cells. Since much of the work to date has been performed on glomerular mesangial cells, a good deal of this discussion will be about this cell type. Glomerular mesangial cells together with the surrounding matrix material form the glomerular mesangium. These cells contain contractile microfilaments as well as receptors for vasoconstrictor substances such as angiotensin II. Therefore, one proposed function of this cell type is the regulation of glomerular perfusion and filtration by contraction. Cultured mesangial cells contract in response to angiotensin II and arginine vasopressin and, in addition, produce prostaglandins which may function to regulate contraction. In this article, we will review the evidence that has accumulated concerning the contractile nature of mesangial cells. Since prostaglandins may influence mesangial cell contraction, the prostaglandin synthetic capabilities of glomerular epithelial and mesangial cells will be discussed. We will conclude by discussing how glomerular cell culture can be used to study the pathobiology of certain glomerular diseases.