Production of Renomedullary Prostaglandins by Renomedullary Interstitial Cells Grown in Tissue Culture

The lipid-laden renomedullary interstitial cells of the rabbit were grown in tissue culture as monolayers. The cultured cells were derived from autotransplants of renal medulla which prevented malignant renovascular and salt-loaded renoprival types of hypertension. These autotransplants contained interstitial cells in clusters suggestive of hyperplasia of these elements, while the hypertension was prevented. The cultured ceUs reproduced all the morphological characteristics of the normal cells in their natural habitat as demonstrated by light and electron microscopy and semithin sections.After 25 passages the cells maintained the karyotype of the rabbit and had normal-appearing cytoplasmic organelles. Extracts of this cell line yielded the three prostaglandins of the renal medullaPGE2, PGA2, and PGF2α. Identification of these prostaglandins was determined by thin-layer and partition chromatography, gas-liquid chromatography, and by comparing mass spectra of fractions of extracts of the tissue culture with those of authentic standard prostaglandins. The study indicates directly that the renomedullary interstitial cells synthesize the renomedullary prostaglandins.