Human Renal Mesangial Cells

Description

Human Renal Mesangial Cells (HRMCs) are primary cells isolated from renal glomerular tissue of healthy human donors. These cells exhibit an epithelial-like morphology and adherent culture properties. Functionally, HRMCs are specialized pericytes located within the glomerulus, where they regulate glomerular hemodynamics through contractile activity and help maintain filtration efficiency by phagocytosing macromolecular debris. They actively synthesize and remodel the mesangial extracellular matrix, a process whose dysregulation is implicated in IgA nephropathy, diabetic nephropathy, and lupus nephritis. These cells express high levels of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), fibronectin, and Thy-1, consistent with their pericytic and contractile phenotype. These cells are cryopreserved at early passages to maintain physiological functionality, and they exhibit limited proliferative capacity and sensitivity to repeated freeze-thaw cycles.

Application

• Human Renal Mesangial Cells (HRMC) serve as an invaluable model for studying glomerular physiology and pathology, particularly mesangial cell injury and matrix remodeling. These cells are instrumental in establishing in vitro disease models for chronic kidney diseases such as diabetic nephropathy and autoimmune glomerulonephritides, supporting investigations into inflammatory signaling, fibrogenic pathways, and glomerular filtration barrier integrity. HRMCs are also suitable for high-throughput and high-content screening (HTS/HCS) platforms, thus making them ideal for drug discovery, biomaterial testing, and toxicity assessment in renal research. Their physiological relevance and disease specific responses make HRMCs a valuable tool for advancing therapeutic strategies aimed at treating glomerular disorders.