Renal blood flow and oxygenation drive nephron progenitor differentiation.

Renal blood flow and oxygenation drive nephron progenitor differentiation. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2014 Jun 11; Authors: Rymer C, Paredes J, Halt K, Schaefer C, Wiersch J, Zhang G, Potoka DA, Vainio S, Gittes GK, Bates CM, Sims-Lucas S Abstract During kidney development, the vasculature develops via both angiogenesis (branching from major vessels) and vasculogenesis (de novo vessel formation). The formation and perfusion of renal blood vessels are vastly understudied. Here, we investigate the regulatory role of renal blood flow and oxygen concentration on nephron progenitor differentiation during ontogeny. To elucidate the presence of blood flow, ultrasound-guided intracardiac microinjection was performed and FITC-tagged tomato lectin was perfused through the embryo. Kidneys were co-stained for vasculature, ureteric epithelium, nephron progenitors and nephron structures. We also analyzed nephron differentiation in normoxia compared to hypoxia. At E13.5, the major vascular branches were perfused, however, smaller-caliber peripheral vessels remained unperfused. By E15.5, peripheral vessels started to be perfused, as well as glomeruli. While the interior kidney vessels were perfused, the peripheral vessels (nephrogenic zone) remained unperfused. Directly adjacent and internal to the nephrogenic zone, we found differentiated nephron structures surrounded and infiltrated by perfused vessels. Furthermore, we determined that at low oxyg...
Source: Am J Physiol Renal P... - Category: Urology & Nephrology Authors: Tags: Am J Physiol Renal Physiol Source Type: research