Background. We examined whether dedifferentiation is necessary for cell division of proximal tubule (PT) cells after acute PT injury. Methods. Rats were injected with a low (0.2 mg/kg) or high (4 mg/kg) dose of uranyl acetate (UA) to induce acute PT injury. Proliferating PT cells were labelled with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) before sacrifice. Renal tissues were examined by double labelling of BrdU and megalin, aquaporin 1 (AQP1), Na + -K + ATPase or vimentin, and by immunoelectron microscopy for

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... rdU+ cells. Results. Under normal conditions, BrdU+ PT cells were positive for the PT phenotype (megalin-, AQP1-and Na + -K + ATPase positive and vimentine negative, a mesenchymal marker). Low-dose UA induced focal PT injury, and BrdU+ initially proliferating PT cells were found in Abstract Background. Cisplatin-induced nephropathy has been related to increased lipid peroxide formation and decreased activity of antioxidant enzymes in the kidney. The present study aimed to examine whether treatment with α-lipoic acid (α-LA) prevents the cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. Methods. Two groups of rats were treated with cisplatin, one of which being cotreated with α-LA. The control group was treated with vehicle only. Four days later, the expression