Human glomerular cells in tissue culture.

Cells from human glomeruli explanted in tissue culture were grown and subcultivated up to 12 to 13 times. Light and electron microscopic studies revealed these cells to be morphologically distinct from fibroblasts. By electron microscopy, an extracellular material resembling basal lamina was seen and prominent intracellular microfilaments were evident. Immunofluorescent microscopy demonstrated reactivity of heterologous antiglomerular basement membrane antibody with aggregates of extracellular material. Absorption experiments using antiglomerular basement membrane antibody showed that the extracellular materiial shared some antigenic components with glomerular basement membrane. Antibody to cultured glomerular cells stained the mesangium and glomerular basement membrane of normal human kidney. This antibody was nephrotoxic in monkeys, induced proteinuria with proliferative glomerulonephritis, and localized to the mesangium and glomerular basement membrane of monkey glomeruli. These findings and the presence of prominent intracellular microfilaments (contractile elements) suggest that the glomerular cells may be of mesangial origin.