Cell shape changes and detachment in cell culture: models of renal injury.

Loss of tubular cell adhesion may be important in the pathophysiology of injury to renal tubular cell epithelium. In-vitro model systems have been utilized to examine altered cell adhesion in response to hypoxic/anoxic and oxidant-induced cell injury. Alterations in cell cytoskeleton and cell surface adhesion molecules, including L-CAM and integrins, have been demonstrated in these systems, and are probably important in the pathogenesis of altered structure and function in response to injury in renal tubular epithelium.