[Hypertrophy and hyperplasia of renal tubular interstitial cells--regulatory factors]

Abstract

Renal tubular cells do not proliferate under normal intact conditions, whereas a marked regeneration is evident when tubular cells are injured by renal toxins or by ischemia. In case of compensatory renal growth too, hyperplasia of renal proximal tubular cells is observed. Various growth factors, including epidermal growth factor (EGF) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) seem to be involved in renal regeneration, however, the physiological role of these growth factors for the natural course of the renal regeneration have yet to be established. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), a potent mitogen for cultured renal tubular cells, may function as a renotropic factor, which enhances regeneration of the kidney. Once renal tubular cells are damaged by some agents, HGF mRNA, HGF activity and DNA synthesis of renal tubular cells are sequentially increased. Since both HGF mRMA and HGF protein are localized in renal interstitial cells, HGF seems to act on the tubular cells as a paracrine mediator. In addition to these results, HGF has multiple biological functions. This suggests that HGF possesses biological activities essential for renal regeneration.