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Updated: Dec 8, 2025

The Power of Simplicity: Sea Urchin Embryos as in Vivo Developmental Models for Studying Complex Cell-to-cell Signaling Network Interactions
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Wnt signaling in kidney: the initiator or terminator?

Ping Meng1,2, Mingsheng Zhu3, Xian Ling1

  • 1State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, National Clinical Research Center of Kidney Disease, Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 1838 North Guangzhou Ave, Guangzhou, 510515, China.

Journal of Molecular Medicine (Berlin, Germany)
|September 17, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Wnt signaling is crucial for kidney development and regeneration. Understanding its role in cell repair and disease offers new therapeutic targets for kidney diseases.

Area of Science:

  • Nephrology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • The kidney regulates vital functions like toxin excretion and water-electrolyte balance.
  • Kidney development and disease involve significant histological changes driven by cell death and growth.
  • Cellular regeneration through self-repair or progenitor differentiation is key to overcoming kidney disease, but underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the multifaceted role of Wnt signaling in kidney embryonic development.
  • To elucidate Wnt signaling's involvement in kidney tissue repair, cell division, and progenitor cell differentiation post-injury.
  • To highlight Wnt signaling's pathogenic role in cellular senescence and its implications for kidney repair.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review focusing on Wnt signaling pathways in renal contexts.
  • Analysis of studies investigating Wnt signaling during embryonic kidney development.
  • Examination of research on Wnt signaling's impact on kidney injury, regeneration, and senescence.

Main Results:

  • Wnt signaling is integral to embryonic kidney development and cellular processes like progenitor cell differentiation.
  • Dysregulation of Wnt signaling contributes to cellular senescence, impeding kidney tissue repair and regeneration.
  • The review consolidates current understanding of Wnt signaling's complex functions in renal health and disease.

Conclusions:

  • Wnt signaling is a critical regulator of kidney development and regeneration.
  • Aberrant Wnt signaling, particularly cellular senescence, presents a barrier to effective kidney repair.
  • Targeting Wnt signaling pathways offers promising therapeutic avenues for treating kidney diseases.
Keywords:
DevelopmentKidneyRegenerationSenescenceWnt

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