Preparation of precision-cut renal slices and renal proximal tubular fragments for evaluating segment-specific...

Previous research in animals and humans has demonstrated that many nephrotoxic chemicals induce selective injury within the kidney affecting either renal proximal straight (PST) or proximal convoluted (PCT) tubules. Selective injury has also been observed following in vitro nephrotoxicant exposure to precision-cut renal slices and isolated PCT and PST segments. These in vitro models provide a means of comparing and contrasting basic mechanistic differences which render these segments innately susceptible to nephrotoxicant injury. In this article, methods for preparing precision-cut slices and isolating PST and PCT segments will be reviewed.