Renal Proximal Tubular Epithelial Cells: From Harvesting to Use in Studies

Abstract

The kidneys are the body’s main excretion organ with several additional functions, and the nephron represents their central structural unit. It is comprised of endothelial, mesangial, glomerular, and tubular epithelial cells, as well as podocytes. Treatment of acute kidney injury or chronic kidney disease (CKD) is complex due to broad etiopathogenic mechanisms and limited regeneration potential as kidney cells finish their differentiation after 34 weeks of gestation. Despite the ever-increasing prevalence of CKD, very limited treatment modalities are available. The medical community should therefore strive to improve existing treatments and develop new ones. Furthermore, polypharmacy is present in most CKD patients, while current pharmacologic study designs lack effectiveness in predicting potential drug-drug interactions and the resulting clinically relevant complications. An opportunity for addressing these issues lies in developing in vitro cell models based on patient-derived renal cells. Currently, several protocols have been described for isolating desired kidney cells, of which the most isolated are the proximal tubular epithelial cells. These play a significant role in water homeostasis, acid-base control, reabsorption of compounds, and secretion of xenobiotics and endogenous metabolites. When developing a protocol for the isolation and culture of such cells, one must focus on several steps. These include harvesting cells from biopsy specimens or after nephrectomies, using different digestion enzymes and culture mediums to facilitate the selective growth of only the desired cells. The literature reports several existing models, from simple 2D in vitro cultures to more complex ones created with bioengineering methods, such as kidney-on-a-chip models. While their creation and use depend on the target research, one should consider factors such as equipment, cost, and, even more importantly, source tissue quality and availability.