MORPHOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL-CHARACTERIZATION OF THE OPOSSUM KIDNEY-CELL LINE AND PRIMARY CULTURES OF RABBIT PROXIMAL TUBULE CELLS IN SERUM-FREE DEFINED MEDIUM

Proliferation, morphology and time course patterns of marker enzyme activities of primary cultures of renal rabbit proximal tubule cells (RPT cells) and Opossum kidney cells (OK cells) in antibiotic-free and serum-free defined medium were investigated. Both RPT and OK cells grew to confluency within 6-8 days. RPT cells were thicker and displayed higher density of both microvilli and mitochondria when compared with OK cells. RPT cells exhibited higher activity of glutathione-S-transferase when compared with OK cells, whereas in the latter, higher glutathione content could be detected. Apical and basolateral membrane enzymes were higher in RPT cells than in OK cells. Stable high glycolytic activity and low gluconeogenesis activity in OK cells pointed out a strict dependence on glycolysis, whereas RPT cells exhibited glucose metabolism shift towards the glycolysis pathway. © 1991.