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Published on: June 10, 2016
Potential renal stem/progenitor cells identified by in vivo lineage tracing
Wenzheng Zhang1, Chao Gao1, Akaki Tsilosani1
1Department of Regenerative and Cancer Cell Biology, Albany Medical College, Albany, New York.
Abstract:
Mammalian kidneys consist of more than 30 different types of cells. A challenging task is to identify and characterize the stem/progenitor subpopulations that establish the lineage relationships among these cellular elements during nephrogenesis in the embryonic and neonate kidneys and during tissue homeostasis and/or injury repair in the mature kidney. Moreover, the potential clinical utility of stem/progenitor cells holds promise for the development of new regenerative medicine approaches for the treatment of renal diseases. Stem cells are defined by unlimited self-renewal capacity and pluripotentiality. Progenitor cells have pluripotentiality but no or limited self-renewal potential. Cre-LoxP-based in vivo genetic lineage tracing is a powerful tool to identify stem/progenitor cells in their native environment. Hypothetically, this technique enables investigators to accurately track the progeny of a single cell or a group of cells. The Cre/LoxP system has been widely used to uncover the function of genes in various mammalian tissues and to identify stem/progenitor cells through in vivo lineage tracing analyses. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in the development and characterization of various Cre drivers and their use in identifying potential renal stem/progenitor cells in both developing and mature mouse kidneys.
Insights
Identifying renal stem/progenitor cells is crucial for understanding kidney development and repair. This review highlights Cre-LoxP lineage tracing methods for characterizing these cells in developing and mature kidneys.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Developmental Biology
- Stem Cell Biology
Background:
- Mammalian kidneys comprise over 30 cell types, necessitating identification of stem/progenitor cells for lineage tracing.
- Understanding renal stem/progenitor cells is vital for nephrogenesis, tissue homeostasis, and injury repair.
- Stem cells offer self-renewal and pluripotentiality; progenitor cells offer pluripotentiality with limited self-renewal.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review advances in Cre drivers for identifying renal stem/progenitor cells.
- To explore the application of Cre-LoxP lineage tracing in kidney research.
- To discuss the potential of renal stem/progenitor cells in regenerative medicine for kidney diseases.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing Cre-LoxP-based in vivo genetic lineage tracing.
- Developing and characterizing various Cre drivers.
- Analyzing stem/progenitor cell identification in developing and mature mouse kidneys.
Main Results:
- Cre-LoxP systems are powerful for tracking cell progeny in vivo.
- This technique aids in identifying stem/progenitor cells in their native environment.
- Recent advances have expanded the toolkit for renal stem/progenitor cell identification.
Conclusions:
- Cre-LoxP lineage tracing is instrumental in characterizing renal stem/progenitor cells.
- Further development of Cre drivers will enhance our understanding of kidney development and repair.
- Renal stem/progenitor cells hold significant promise for regenerative therapies in treating kidney diseases.
