Endothelial markers expressing stromal cells are critical for kidney formation.

Endothelial markers expressing stromal cells are critical for kidney formation. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2017 May 24;:ajprenal.00136.2017 Authors: Mukherjee E, Maringer KV, Papke E, Bushnell DS, Schaefer CM, Kramann R, Ho J, Humphreys BD, Bates CM, Sims-Lucas S Abstract Kidneys are highly vascularized and contain many distinct vascular beds. However, the origins and roles of developing renal endothelial cells in the formation of the kidney are unclear. We have shown that the Foxd1-positive renal stroma gives rise to endothelial marker expressing progenitors that are incorporated within a subset of peritubular capillaries; however, the significance of these cells is unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine whether deletion of Flk1 in the Foxd1 stroma was important for renal development. To that end, we conditionally deleted Flk1 (critical for endothelial cell development) in the renal stroma by breeding floxed Flk1 mice (Flk1(fl/fl) ) with Foxd1cre mice to generate Foxd1cre; Flk1(fl/fl) (Flk1(ST-/-) ) mice. We then performed FACsorting, histological, morphometric and metabolic analyses of Flk1(ST-/-) versus control mice. We confirmed decreased expression of endothelial markers in the renal stroma of Flk1(ST-/-) kidneys via Flow sorting and immunostaining, and upon interrogation of embryonic and postnatal Flk1(ST-/-) mice we found they had dilated peritubular capillaries. Three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions showed redu...
Source: Am J Physiol Renal P... - Category: Urology & Nephrology Authors: Tags: Am J Physiol Renal Physiol Source Type: research