Canonical Wnt9b signaling balances progenitor cell expansion and differentiation during kidney development.

ABSTRACT: The mammalian kidney is composed of thousands of individual epithelial tubules known as nephrons. Deficits in nephron number are associated with myriad diseases ranging from complete organ failure to congenital hypertension. A balance between differentiation and maintenance of a mesenchymal progenitor cell population determines the final number of nephrons. How this balance is struck is poorly understood. Previous studies have suggested that Wnt9b/β-catenin signaling induced differentiation (mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition) in a subset of the progenitors but needed to be repressed in the remaining progenitors to keep them in the undifferentiated state. Here, we report that Wnt9b/β-catenin signaling is active in the progenitors and is required for their renewal/proliferation. Using a c

SUBMITTER: Karner CM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3050658 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature