Caenorhabditis elegans as a model to study renal development and disease: sexy cilia.
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has no kidney per se, yet "the worm" has proved to be an excellent model to study renal-related issues, including tubulogenesis of the excretory canal, membrane transport and ion channel function, and human genetic diseases including autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). The goal of this review is to explain how C. elegans has provided insight into cilia development, cilia function, and human cystic kidney diseases.
Barr
Maureen M
MM
School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin at Madison, 777 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53705, USA. mmbarr@pharmacy.wisc.edu
D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002923:Cilia / Q000235:genetics; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D009154:Mutation; D038081:Organogenesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D016891:Polycystic Kidney, Autosomal Dominant / Q000235:genetics; D017044:Polycystic Kidney, Autosomal Recessive / Q000235:genetics; D013045:Species Specificity
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D015801:Helminth Proteins