Cell Specification
Renal tubular epithelial cells (RTEpiC) play a crucial role in the renal function. They reabsorb nearly all of the glucose and amino acids in the glomerular filtrate, while allowing other substances of no nutritional value to be excreted in the urine. However, they are also a major site of injury in a variety of congenital, metabolic, and inflammatory diseases. RTEpiC can produce inflammatory mediators such as cytokines and chemokines and actively participate in acute inflammatory processes by effecting and directing leukocyte chemotaxis via the production of IL-8 [1, 2]. RTEpiC express IL-2R alpha and MHC class II antigens during inflammation after renal transplantation or in crescentic glomerulonephritis indicating the capacity to participate in the pathogenesis of immune renal injury [3]. To be able to study the relationship between tubular cells and a variety of renal diseases, the RTEpiC culture provides a useful in vitro model.

MRTEpiC from ScienCell Research Laboratories are isolated from rat renal tissue. MRTEpiC are cryopreserved immediately after purification and delivered frozen. Each vial contains >5 x 10⁵ cells in 1 ml volume. MRTEpiC are characterized by immunofluorescent method with antibodies to cytokeratin-18, -19 and vimentin. MRTEpiC are negative for mycoplasma, bacteria, yeast and fungi. MRTEpiC are guaranteed to further expand for 10 double populations in the condition provided by ScienCell Research Laboratories.

Recommended Medium
It is recommended to use epithelial cell medium (EpiCM, Cat. No. 4101) for the culturing of MRTEpiC in vitro.

Product Use
MRTEpiC are for research use only. It is not approved for human or animal use, or for application in in vitro diagnostic procedures.

Storage
Directly and immediately transfer cells from dry ice to liquid nitrogen upon receiving and keep the cells in liquid nitrogen until cell culture is needed for experiments.

Shipping
Dry ice.

Reference
[1] van Kooten, C., van der Linde, X., Woltman, A. M., van Es, L. A. and Daha, M. R. (1999) Synergistic effect of interleukin-1 and CD40L on the activation of human renal tubular epithelial cells. Kidney Int 56(1):41-51
[2]Schmouder, R. L., Strieter, R. M., Wiggins, R. C., Chensue, S. W. and Kunkel, S. L. (1992 ) In vitro and in vivo interleukin-8 production in human renal cortical epithelia. Kidney Int 41(1):191-8.
[3] Wuthrich, R. P., Glimcher, L. H., Yui, M. A., Jevnikar, A. M., Dumas, S. E. and Kelley, V. E. (1990) MHC class II, antigen presentation and tumor necrosis factor in renal tubular epithelial cells. Kidney Int 37(2):783-92.