Transcriptional profiling of Wnt4 mutant mouse kidneys identifies genes expressed during nephron formation.

ABSTRACT: The mature nephron forms from a simple epithelial vesicle into an elaborate structure with distinct regions of specialized physiological function. The molecular components driving the process of nephron development are not well understood. To identify genes that may be informative in this process we conducted a transcriptional profiling screen using Wnt4 mutant kidneys. In Wnt4-/- homozygous mice, condensates and pretubular aggregates are induced, however, epithelial renal vesicles fail to form and subsequent tubulogenesis is blocked. A transcriptional profile comparison between wildtype and Wnt4-/- mutant kidneys at E14.5 was performed using Affymetrix oligonucleotide microarrays to identify nephron-expressed genes. This approach identified 236 genes with expression levels >1.8-fold highe

SUBMITTER: Valerius MT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2435058 | biostudies-literature | 2008 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature