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Isolation and Culture of Cells from the Nephrogenic Zone of the Embryonic Mouse Kidney
08:06

Isolation and Culture of Cells from the Nephrogenic Zone of the Embryonic Mouse Kidney

Published on: April 22, 2011

18.5K

Macrophages restrict the nephrogenic field and promote endothelial connections during kidney development

David AD Munro1, Yishay Wineberg2,3, Julia Tarnick1

  • 1Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.

Elife
|February 14, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Kidney macrophages are crucial during development, aiding in nephron progenitor cell clearance and supporting blood vessel formation. Understanding these roles may lead to new therapies for kidney developmental issues.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Biology
  • Immunology
  • Renal Science

Background:

  • The role of kidney macrophages in adult kidney function is known, but their function during kidney development is largely unexplored.
  • Understanding macrophage involvement in renal organogenesis is critical for addressing congenital kidney abnormalities.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the arrival, localization, heterogeneity, and functions of macrophages during mouse kidney organogenesis.
  • To investigate the specific roles of macrophages in early kidney development and vascularization.

Main Methods:

  • Genetic ablation of macrophages in developing mouse kidneys.
  • Antibody-mediated macrophage depletion in cultured kidney explants.
  • Analysis of macrophage markers (F4/80, CD206, galectin-3) and gene expression.

Main Results:

  • Macrophages are essential for clearing nephron progenitor cells at the onset of kidney development.
  • Perivascular macrophages expressing F4/80 and CD206 are abundant during renal organogenesis.
  • These macrophages exhibit gene expression related to developmental processes like blood vessel morphogenesis.
  • Macrophages support vascular anastomoses in developing kidney tissues.
  • A distinct subpopulation of galectin-3-positive myeloid cells was identified.

Conclusions:

  • Macrophages play a vital role in kidney development, particularly in progenitor cell clearance and vascular development.
  • These findings suggest potential therapeutic strategies targeting macrophages for renal developmental disorders.
  • The study provides insights for the development of bioengineered kidney tissues.
Keywords:
blood vesselcell migrationdevelopmental biologyhumanmorphogenesismousenephronphagocytosis

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