Juxtaglomerular cells grown as monolayer cell culture contain renin, angiotensin I-converting enzyme, and angiotensin I and II/III.

Abstract

A monolayer cell culture of juxtaglomerular cells (JGC) was derived from the renal cortex of neonatal rats. The JGC had the characteristics of those within the kidney, including peripheral dense bodies and myofibrils indicating a smooth muscle origin; rough ER containing fluffy material consistent with protein synthesis; a prominent Golgi apparatus for packaging granules, and granules having the characteristics of secretory granules and lysosomes. Transplants of the cultured cells into syngeneic recipients survived for 2 weeks or longer and retained the features of JGC. The JGC granules fluoresced when treated with a rabbit antibody against pure rat renin, followed by fluorescein isothyocyanate conjugated F(ab')2 fragment of goat antirabbit IgG (Fc fragment) heavy chain specific. The latter indicated the presence of renin. The JGC were lysed in the presence of DFP, captopril, leupeptin, and EDTA, and were extracted in the presence of pepstatin. The lysate contained renin activity that was inhibited by a s...