Met and the epidermal growth factor receptor act cooperatively to regulate final nephron number and maintain collecting duct morphology.

ABSTRACT: Ureteric bud (UB) branching during kidney development determines the final number of nephrons. Although hepatocyte growth factor and its receptor Met have been shown to stimulate branching morphogenesis in explanted embryonic kidneys, loss of Met expression is lethal during early embryogenesis without obvious kidney abnormalities. Met(fl/fl);HoxB7-Cre mice, which lack Met expression selectively in the UB, were generated and found to have a reduction in final nephron number. These mice have increased Egf receptor expression in both the embryonic and adult kidney, and exogenous Egf can partially rescue the branching defect seen in kidney explants. Met(fl/fl);HoxB7-Cre;wa-2/wa-2 mice, which lack normal Egfr and Met signaling, exhibit small kidneys with a marked decrease in UB branching at E14

SUBMITTER: Ishibe S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2862758 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature