Figure 2. Mouse kidney cells exhibit progressive changes during in vitro culture.

(A) Immunoblots for p53, p21, Survivin, Mcl1, Fhit and GAPDH expression in the mouse kidney cells with progressive culture. In +/+ cells, Fhit expression is decreased gradually with passage progression, but capacity for apoptosis is likely maintained at late passage as shown by expression of p21. -/- cells undergo loss of apoptotic response with passage progression, dramatic increase of p53 in parallel with abrupt loss of p21 expression and dramatic increase of Mcl1 expression. (B) Representative micrographs of fixed, crystal biored stained +/+ and -/- kidney cell clones exhibiting morphological diversity, particularly in the -/- clones (see also Figure S1).