Figure 1

Characteristics and differentiation potency of MRPC. (A) Morphology of MRPC isolated from adult mouse kidney. Morphology of the cells after 1 passage (4 days), 8 passages, 25 passages, and 50 passages is shown by phase-contrast microscopy and immunofluorescence microscopy. After eight passages, the cells are monomorphic with a spindle-shape morphology, containing large nucleus and fluorescence. MRPC cultured to confluence at passage 25 do not overlay and maintain fluorescence. Autofluorescence was negligible in the control group. (magnification 200×) (B) Immunofluorescence microscopy of fluorescent MRPC (green) stained with the following antibodies (red): anti-Oct-4 antibodies, anti-Pax-2 antibodies, an anti-alpha smooth muscle actin antibody (α-SMA), an anti-vimentin antibody, an anti-E-cadherin antibody and secondary antibody only (magnification 400×). (C) Gene expression of mMSC (bone marrow) and MRPC detected by RT-PCR. (D) Mutilineage differentiation of MRPC. Phase-contrast microscopy and immunofluorescence microscopy of MRPC that were incubated under culture conditions that induced differentiation into osteoblasts and adipocytes. Control A was osteogenic differentiation and control B was adipogenic differentiation (magnification 100×). MRPC, mouse renal progenitor cells; MSC, mesenchymal stem cells, α-SMA.