Preliminary Study On Calcium Oxalate Crystal Attached To Renal Epithelial Cells In Rats

Purpose: The attachment of nascent crystals to renal epithelial cells surface and cellar responses that follow could be important initiating events in nephrolithiasis. We examined the differences of the effects of calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) crystals on proliferative and enzymic activity between cultured renal tubular epithelial cells in normal and hyperoxaluria rats. Materials and Methods: Renal epithelial cells of normal and hyperoxaluria rats were isolated and cultured respectively. 1. At the fifth day of primary culture, culture media including COM crystals (20μg/ml) were added to the cells of both the experimental group and the control group. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to investigate COM crystal attachment to renal epithelial cells after 8 hours. The activity of Na+ -K+ -ATPase and Ca++ -Mg++ -ATPase was also determined spectrophotometrically. 2. At the fifth day of primary culture, equal numbers of two types of cells were incubated in medium containing COM crystals (20μg/ml) for 48 hours. At the end of incubationperiod , cells were trypsinized and cell count was performed. Results: There was no either difference in cells proliferation or in cells Na+ -K+ -ATPase and Ca++ -Mg++ -ATPase activity between the experiment group and the control group. Conclusion: There were no significant differences in the effects of calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) crystals on proliferative and enzymic activity between kidney tubular epithelial cells of normal and hyperoxaluria rats.