Three-Dimensional Architecture of Glomerular Endothelial Cells Revealed by FIB-SEM Tomography
Open Access
- 11 March 2021
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Frontiers Media SA in Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
Abstract
Focused-ion beam-scanning electron microscopic (FIB-SEM) tomography enables easier acquisition of a series of ultrastructural, sectional images directly from resin-embedded biological samples. In this study, to clarify the three-dimensional (3D) architecture of glomerular endothelial cells (GEnCs) in adult rats, we manually extracted GEnCs from serial FIB-SEM images and reconstructed them on an Amira reconstruction software. The luminal and basal surface structures were clearly visualized in the reconstructed GEnCs, although only the luminal surface structures could be observed by conventional SEM. The luminal surface visualized via the reconstructed GEnCs was quite similar to that observed through conventional SEM, indicating that 3D reconstruction could be performed with high accuracy. Thus, we successfully described the 3D architecture of normal GEnCs in adult rats more clearly and precisely than ever before. The GEnCs were found to consist of three major subcellular compartments, namely, the cell body, cytoplasmic ridges, and sieve plates, in addition to two associated subcellular compartments, namely, the globular protrusions and reticular porous structures. Furthermore, most individual GEnCs made up a “seamless” tubular shape, and some of them formed an autocellular junction to make up a tubular shape. FIB-SEM tomography with reconstruction is a powerful approach to better understand the 3D architecture of GEnCs. Moreover, the morphological information revealed in this study will be valuable for the 3D pathologic evaluation of GEnCs in animal and human glomerular diseases and the structural analysis of developmental processes in the glomerular capillary system.This publication has 46 references indexed in Scilit:
- Structural Organization of Hepatic Portal Vein in Rat with Special Reference to Musculature, Intimal Folds, and Endothelial Cell AlignmentThe Anatomical Record, 2010
- Primary cilia disappear in rat podocytes during glomerular developmentCell and tissue research, 2010
- .BETA.-Cytoplasmic actin localization in vertebrate glomerular podocytesArchives of Histology and Cytology, 2009
- Glomerular Endothelial Cells Form Diaphragms during Development and Pathologic ConditionsJournal of the American Society of Nephrology, 2008
- Array Tomography: A New Tool for Imaging the Molecular Architecture and Ultrastructure of Neural CircuitsNeuron, 2007
- Actin filament organization of foot processes in vertebrate glomerular podocytesCell and tissue research, 2007
- Involvement of Mesangial Cells Expressing α-Smooth Muscle Actin During Restorative Glomerular Remodeling in Thy-1.1 NephritisJournal of Histochemistry & Cytochemistry, 2006
- Intussusceptive capillary growth is required for glomerular repair in rat Thy-1.1 nephritisKidney International, 2003
- Assembly of the glomerular filtration surface. Differentiation of anionic sites in glomerular capillaries of newborn rat kidney.The Journal of cell biology, 1980
- Electron microscopy of the vascular bed of the kidney cortexThe Anatomical Record, 1955