Podocyte model for assessing glomerular toxicity and disease modelling
Newcells offers the first fully differentiated, primary podocyte model derived from fresh kidney tissue for the in vitro assessment of drug-induced glomerular toxicity and disease modelling. The effect of a drug on the glomerular filtration barrier and podocyte glomerular permeability can now be easily evaluated in vitro.
Podocyte injury and proteinuria can be modelled in vitro at high throughput (96-well format) and assessed by measuring podocyte damage biomarkers, TEER and podocyte permeability.
Podocytes maintain the glomerular filtration barrier and similarly to proximal tubule cells, can be damaged by drugs. Drug-induced glomerular toxicity occurs progressively. First podocyte injury leads to cellular dedifferentiation causing perturbation of the podocyte monolayers architecture. This process in turn results in protein leakage as well as increased levels of protein in the urine, proteinuria, which can cause secondary renal tubular damage and chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Available analytical readouts
- Permeability assay: performed with 70 kDa FITC-dextran
- Cell viability: ATP and TEER measurements
- Biomarker protein quantification
- Inflammation: IκBα degradation, NF-κB translocation
- ER stress and apoptosis: features of diabetic nephropathy
- Fibrosis (Glomerulosclerosis): ECM deposition