Summary
Lipid deposits in the cat kidney are mainly located in the epithelium of the proximal tubuli contorti, particularly in the pars contorta. As the amount of fatty acids in the blood of renal arteries is higher than in renal veins, the lipid inclusions are likely to be formed in the proximal convoluted tubule. Whether fat occurring in the urine has been released from the nephron epithelium and the mode of this release remains obscure. The structural equivalent of lipid extrusion into the tubules has not been observed.
Components of the tubular lipids include triglycerides, phosphoglycerides and cholesterol. The results of the digitonin-cholesterol reaction favour the assumption that cholesterol is eliminated in the glomeruli and pinocytotically reabsorbed by the brush border cells, this process possibly serving recycling of this compound. The dilated basal labyrinth and intercellular space contain perpendicularly oriented lipid accumulations that reach the basal lamina. The ultrastructure of the lipid storing cells of pars contorta reacting positively for phosphoglyceride and cholesterol is characterised mainly by bodies with marginal plates. As far as can be judged from their morphology, these bodies are interpreted as large peroxisomes. A special feature of the pars recta are dumbbell shaped bodies and elongated or cup-like mitochondria concentrically surrounding cytoplasmic areas, as well as a well-developed smooth ER. In what way the organelles of the brush border cells are involved in catabolic and anabolic processes as far as renal lipid metabolism is concerned remains to be answered.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abel, J.H., McClellan, M.C., Verhage, H.G., Niswender, G.N.: Subcellular compartmentalization of the luteal cell of the ovary of the dog. Cell Tiss. Res. 158, 461–480 (1975)
Bachmann, R.: Über Fetteinlagerungen im Nierenkanälchen. Z. mikr.-anat. Forsch. 51, 25–39 (1942)
Beard, M.E., Novikoff, A.B.: Distribution of peroxisomes (microbodies) in the nephron of the rat. A cytochemical study. J. Cell Biol. 42, 501–518 (1969)
Black, V., Bogart, B.I.: Peroxisomes in inner adrenocortical cells of fetal and adult guinea pigs. J. Cell Biol. 57, 345–358 (1973)
Dole, V.P.: A relation between non-esterified fatty acids in plasma and the metabolism of glucose. J. clin. Invest. 35, 150 (1956)
Foote, J.J., Grafflin, A.L.: Quantitative measurements of the fat laden and fat free segments of the proximal tubule in the nephron of the cat and dog. Anat. Rec. 72, 169–179 (1938)
Gairns, F.W., Morrison, S.D.: Lipid in the nephron of the cat. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 110, 17P-18P (1949)
Gorgas, K.: Über die Ultrastruktur der Zona reticularis der Nebennierenrinde von Nutria (Myocastor coypus Molina) unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der sog. dunklen Zellen. Ergebn. Anat. Entwickl.-Gesch. 45, H. 5, 1–80 (1971)
Helmy, F.M., Longley, J.B.: A Chromatographic analysis of the lipid of cat and dog kidneys. Acta histochem. 25, 300–311 (1966)
Hewer, T.F., Mattews, L.H., Malkin, T.: Lipuria in tigers. Proc. zool. Soc. London 118, 924–928 (1948)
Idelman, S.: Contribution à la cytophysiologie infrastructurale de la cortico-surrénale chez le rat albinos. Ann. Sci. natur. Zpol., 12e Sér., 8, 205–362 (1966)
Jacobsen, N.O., Jørgensen, F.: Ultrastructural observations on the pars descendens of the proximal tubule in the kidney of the male rat. Z. Zellforsch. 136, 479–499 (1973)
Lobban, M.C.: Some observations on the intracellular lipid in the kidney of the cat. J. Anat. (Lond.) 89, 92–98 (1955)
Longley, J.B.: Histochemistry in the kidney. In: The kidney, Vol. I (Ch. Rouiller, A.F. Muller, eds.), pp. 158–259. New York-London: Academic Press 1969
Luft, J.H.: Improvements in epoxy resin embedding methods. J. biophys. biochem. Cytol. 9, 409–414 (1961)
Maunsbach, A.B.: The influence of different fixatives and fixation methods on the ultrastructure of rat kidney proximal tubule cells. I. Comparison of different perfusion fixation methods and of glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde and osmium tetroxide fixatives. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 15, 242–282 (1966b)
Maunsbach, A.B., Wirsén, C.: Ultrastructural changes in kidney, myocardium and skeletal muscle of the dog during excessive mobilization of free fatty acids. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 16, 35–54 (1966)
Modell, W.: Observations on the lipids in the renal tubule of the cat. Anat. Rec. 57, 13–24 (1933)
Möllendorff, W. v.: Der Exkretionsapparat. In: Hdb. der mikroskop. Anat. des Menschen (hrsg. von W. v. Möllendorff), Bd. VII, 1. Berlin: Springer 1930
Møller, O.M.: The fine structure of the lutein cells in the blue fox (Alopex lagopus) with special reference to the secretory activity during pregnancy. Cell Tiss. Res. 149, 61–79 (1974)
Nakamura, S.: Beobachtungen über die Fette in den Harnkanälchen von Katze und Hund. Folia anat. japon. 13, 45–54 (1935)
Nissen, H.M., Bojesen, I.: On lipid droplets in renal interstitial cells. IV. Isolation and identification. Z. Zellforsch. 97, 274–284 (1969)
Ökrös, I.: Digitonin reaction in electron microscopy. Histochemie 13, 91–96 (1968)
Ogle, T.F.: Effects of ACTH on organelle interrelationships in the corpus luteum of the pregnant deermouse. Cell Tiss. Res. 153, 195–209 (1974)
Reddy, J.K., Svoboda, D.J.: Microbodies (peroxisomes) in the interstitial cells of rodent testes. Lab. Invest. 26, 657–665 (1972)
Romeis, B.: Mikroskopische Technik, 16. Aufl. München: Oldenbourg 1968
Schiebler, Th.H.: Morphologie der Nieren und ihrer Ableitungswege. In: Hdb. der Zoologie (hrsg. J.-G. Helmcke, H. v. Lengerken, D. Starck), Bd. 8, 4(7), S. 1–84. Berlin: De Gruyter 1959
Smith, C.: A study of the lipoid content of the kidney tubule. Amer. J. Anat. 27, 69–94 (1920)
Smith, C., Freeman, B.L.: Distribution of lipoids, lipase and alkaline phosphatase in renal tubule of the cat. Proc. Soc. exp. Biol. (N.Y.) 86, 775–778 (1954)
Tiedemann, K.: Peroxisomes in cat and sheep mesonephric tubules. Z. Zellforsch. 133, 141–146 (1972)
Tiedemann, K.: The mesonephros of cat and sheep. Comparative morphological and histochemical studies. Adv. Anat. Embryol., Cell Biol. 52, Fasc. 3, 1–119 (1976)
Weller, R.O., Bayliss, O.B., Abdulla, Y.H., Adams, C.W.M.: The electron-histochemical demonstration of phosphoglyceride. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 13, 690–692 (1965)
Williamson, J.R.: Morphological changes associated with lipid mobilization. J. Cell Biol. 20, 57–74 (1964)
Wolman, M.: Lipides. Histochemistry of lipids in pathology. Handbuch der Histochemie (hrsg. W. Graumann, K. Neumann), Bd. V/2. Stuttgart: G. Fischer 1964
Zimmermann, K.W.: Über die Niere der Hauskatze (Felis domestica Bliss). Dtsch. tierärztl. Wschr. 689–691 (1935)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This paper is dedicated in friendship to Professor Berta Scharrer (New York) on the occasion of her 70th birthday
This investigation was supported by a grant from the “Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft”
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bargmann, W., Krisch, B., Leonhardt, H. et al. Lipids in the proximal convoluted tubule of the cat kidney and the reabsorption of cholesterol. Cell Tissue Res. 177, 523–538 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00220612
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00220612