Coordinating early kidney development: lessons from gene targeting.
The kidney is widely used to study the mechanisms of organogenesis. Its development involves fundamental processes, such as epithelial branching, induced morphogenesis and cytodifferentiation, which are common to the development of many other organs. Gene-targeting experiments have greatly improved our understanding of kidney development, and have revealed many important genes that regulate early kidney organogenesis, some of which have a role in inherited human kidney disorders. Although our understanding of how the kidney is assembled is still limited, these studies are beginning to provide insights into the genetic and cellular interactions that regulate early organogenesis.
Vainio
Seppo
S
Biocenter Oulu and Department of Biochemistry, Linnanmaa, Faculties of Science and Medicine, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 3000, FIN-90014, Finland. seppo.vainio@oulu.fi
Lin
Yanfeng
Y
D000482:Allantois / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002823:Chorion / Q000502:physiology; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018390:Gene Targeting / Q000379:methods*; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000201:enzymology*
D005819:Genetic Markers