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Urinary tract pacemaker cells: current knowledge and insights from nonrenal pacemaker cells provide a basis for
Meghan M Feeney1, Norman D Rosenblum
1Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, 686 Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5G OA4.
Pediatric Nephrology (Berlin, Germany)
|October 17, 2013
Summary
Ureteric peristalsis relies on electrical pacemaker cells in the kidney. Research explores their identity, function, and control by Hedgehog-GLI signaling, drawing parallels with heart and gut pacemaker cells.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Physiology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Ureteric peristalsis, crucial for urine transport, is controlled by electrical activity in renal pelvis and ureter pacemaker cells.
- Pacemaker cells express c-kit tyrosine kinase and hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel 3 (HCN3), essential for coordinated ureteric contractions.
- Altered pacemaker cell expression is linked to congenital kidney diseases, indicating their pathological relevance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the identity and function of pacemaker cells in the upper urinary tract.
- To explore the control of urinary pacemaker cell function by Hedgehog-GLI signaling.
- To draw insights from cardiac and gut pacemaker cell development for understanding ureteric pacemaker cell development.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of existing research on ureteric, cardiac, and gut pacemaker cells.
- Analysis of the roles of c-kit and HCN3 in ureteric contractility.
- Examination of Hedgehog-GLI signaling pathways in pacemaker cell function.
Main Results:
- C-kit and HCN3 are identified as key proteins for coordinated ureteric contractions.
- Pacemaker cell expression changes are observed in congenital kidney diseases.
- Hedgehog-GLI signaling is implicated in controlling pacemaker cell function.
Conclusions:
- Understanding ureteric pacemaker cell biology is critical, especially given their role in congenital kidney diseases.
- Comparative analysis with cardiac and gut pacemaker cells offers potential insights into developmental mechanisms.
- Further research into ureteric pacemaker cell lineage and signaling is warranted.
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