WNT/β-Catenin Signaling Is Required for Integration of CD₂₄₊ Renal Progenitor Cells into Glycerol-Damaged Adult Renal Tubules

Figure 9

IWR-1 pretreatment of exogenous CD₂₄₊ cells reduces integration into glycerol-damaged renal proximal tubules. CD₂₄₊ cells were isolated by FACS from embryonic E15 mouse kidney and cultured for 12 hours in the presence or absence of IWR-1 (100 μM). 0.5 million CD₂₄₊ cells were then labeled with PKH26 red dye and infused into mice three days after glycerol-induced proximal tubular injury. (a) Control CD₂₄₊ cells (white arrows) are widely integrated into damaged proximal tubules stained with LTA (green); (b) proximal tubular integration (white arrows) of CD₂₄₊ cells after IWR-1 pretreatment is strikingly reduced (a-b, scale bars: 50 μm). (c) The number of LTA-stained proximal tubules (PT) showing integration of PKH26 red CD₂₄₊ cells was estimated in 310–340 tubules from 10 different kidney sections. Pretreatment of exogenous CD₂₄₊ cells with IWR-1 (100 μM) reduced the percentage of tubules showing CD₂₄₊ cells integration from 34% (control) to 11% (IWR-1). .

(a)

(b)

(c)