Rho kinase acts at separate steps in ureteric bud and metanephric mesenchyme morphogenesis during kidney development.
In this study, five different in vitro assays, which together recapitulate much of kidney development, were used to examine the role of the Rho-associated protein serine/threonine kinase (ROCK) in events central to ureteric bud (UB) and metanephric mesenchyme (MM) morphogenensis, in isolation and together. ROCK activity was found to be critical for (1) cell proliferation, growth, and development of the whole embryonic kidney in organ culture, (2) tip and stalk formation in cultures of isolated UBs, and (3) migration of MM cells (in a novel MM migration assay) during their condensation at UB tips (in a UB/MM recombination assay). Together, the data indicate selective involvement of Rho/ROCK in distinct morphogenetic processes necessary for kidney development and that the coordination of these events by Rho/ROCK provides a potential mechanism to regulate overall branching patterns, nephron formation, and thus, kidney architecture.
Meyer
Tobias N
TN
Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0693, USA.
Schwesinger
Catherine
C
Sampogna
Rosemary V
RV
Vaughn
Duke A
DA
Stuart
Robert O
RO
Steer
Dylan L
DL
Bush
Kevin T
KT
Nigam
Sanjay K
SK
D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning; D002465:Cell Movement; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D007668:Kidney / Q000196:embryology* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009024:Morphogenesis; D009399:Nephrons / Q000196:embryology* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014513:Ureter / Q000196:embryology* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases
D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases