β-Catenin in the kidney stroma modulates pathways and genes to regulate kidney development

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Updated: Jul 29, 2025

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Reconstitution Of β-catenin Degradation In Xenopus Egg Extract

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Erin Deacon1, Anna Li1, Felix Boivin1

  • 1Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Developmental Dynamics : an Official Publication of the American Association of Anatomists
|May 25, 2023
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Stromal beta-catenin (β-catenin) is crucial for kidney development, regulating cell communication and key developmental processes like branching morphogenesis and vascular formation. This study identifies novel target genes involved in these essential kidney formation pathways.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Kidney development relies on intricate cellular crosstalk between ureteric epithelium, mesenchyme, and stroma.
  • Stromal beta-catenin (β-catenin) has demonstrated essential roles in kidney development, but its precise regulatory mechanisms remain unclear.
  • This study investigates how stromal β-catenin influences gene pathways to mediate communication between neighboring cell populations during kidney development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the regulatory role of stromal beta-catenin (β-catenin) in kidney development.
  • To identify specific genes and pathways modulated by stromal β-catenin.
  • To understand how stromal β-catenin facilitates intercellular communication during kidney organogenesis.

Main Methods:

  • Purification of stromal cells with varying β-catenin levels (wild type, deficient, overexpressed) using fluorescence-activated cell sorting.
  • Comprehensive RNA sequencing to analyze gene expression profiles.
  • Gene Ontology network analysis to identify modulated biological processes and pathways.

Main Results:

  • Stromal β-catenin significantly impacts kidney branching morphogenesis, nephrogenesis, and vascular formation.
  • Identified candidate target genes including secreted factors (Wnts, Bmp, VEGF), cell-surface receptors (Fgfr), and transcription factors (Tcf/Lef).
  • Validated known β-catenin targets like Lef1 and uncovered novel targets such as Sema3e, implicated in kidney development.

Conclusions:

  • This research enhances understanding of gene and pathway dysregulation associated with stromal β-catenin misexpression during kidney development.
  • Findings suggest stromal β-catenin regulates secreted and cell-surface proteins to mediate communication with adjacent cell populations.
  • The study provides novel insights into the molecular mechanisms governing kidney development and intercellular signaling.
Keywords:
Beta-cateninFACSRNA sequencingbranching morphogenesisnephrogenesisvascular development

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