Formation of well-polarized epithelial cyst by AQP2 expressing MDCK cells.

<p>Single MDCK cells expressing rat AQP2 plated on matrigel form well-polarized cyst. The apical membrane domain is ringed by the tight junction protein (A) Zona Occludens-1 (green) and highlighted by (F) podocalyxin (green). (B) Integrin β1, (C) Na+/K+-ATPase and (D) β-catenin (green) are located on the basolateral membrane. (E, F), AQP2 (red) is distributed diffusely in the cytosol and in the basolateral region under baseline, non-stimulated conditions. DAPI (blue) stains nuclei. Images are single confocal planes taken through the middle of a spherical cyst. Bars = 10 μm.