Figure 5.

Optimal fluid shear preserves the presence of cilia and induces apparent proteolytic cleavage of polycystin-1. A, Endothelial cells equilibrated at an optimal shear stress of 7.2 dynes/cm² for various time points maintain their apical primary cilia. The presence of cilia in every cell is confirmed with acetylated α-tubulin (acet-α-tubulin). Bar=10 μm. n = 2 for each time point. B, Cells were equilibrated at 0, 1.1, or 7.2 dynes/cm² for 10, 20, or 30 minutes. Only a single full-length polycystin-1 band is observed in static control cells (arrow), whereas fluid shear stress induces a second lower–molecular-weight polycystin-1 band (arrowhead). Note that the band intensity of full-length molecular-weight polycystin-1 in cells equilibrated at 7.2 dynes/cm² is much weaker than that of static control or 1.1 dynes/cm². n = 2.