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Kidneys Prefer a High Fat4 Diet

Gregory Wiessner1, Cathy Mendelsohn1

  • 1Departments of Urology, Genetics and Development, and Pathology, Columbia University, 1130 St. Nicholas Avenue, New York, NY 10032, USA.

Developmental Cell
|March 27, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Ectopic ureteric bud branching can cause urinary tract obstruction. New research reveals that Ret and Fat4 signaling directly restricts this abnormal branching during kidney development.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental biology
  • Urology
  • Molecular biology

Background:

  • Abnormal branching of the ureteric bud (UB) can lead to urinary tract obstruction.
  • Understanding the molecular mechanisms regulating UB branching is crucial for preventing congenital anomalies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the molecular interactions controlling ureteric bud branching.
  • To identify key signaling pathways that restrict supernumerary UB outgrowth.

Main Methods:

  • Immunohistochemistry to detect protein expression.
  • Analysis of gene expression patterns.
  • In vivo imaging of kidney development.

Main Results:

  • Ret is expressed on UB cells, while Fat4 is expressed on surrounding stromal cells.
  • Direct interaction between Ret and Fat4 was observed.
  • This interaction was shown to restrict excessive ureteric bud branching.

Conclusions:

  • The Ret-Fat4 interaction is a critical regulator of ureteric bud branching.
  • This mechanism prevents ectopic or supernumerary UB branches, thus avoiding urinary tract obstruction.

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