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Beta1 integrin and collecting system development
Author(s) -
Zent Roy,
Zhang Xi,
Mernaugh Glenda,
Coffa Sergio,
Fassler Reinhard,
Pozzi Ambra
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a141-c
Subject(s) - integrin , ureteric bud , kidney development , microbiology and biotechnology , morphogenesis , extracellular matrix , biology , phenotype , protein subunit , anatomy , receptor , embryonic stem cell , genetics , gene
Integrins are transmembrane heterodimeric alpha and beta subunit glycoproteins that mediate the interactions between cells and extracellular matrix. Beta1 is the most abundantly expressed integrin subunit in the kidney and is highly expressed in the collecting system. The collecting system of the kidney is derived from the ureteric bud which initially develops by undergoing many iterations of branching morphogenesis, which is followed by a phase of tubular growth, elongation and differentiation. To determine the role of beta1 integrin in ureteric bud development we crossed integrin beta1 floxed mice with mice that express Cre when ureteric bud development starts (i.e. hoxb7 cre) or late in collecting system development (i.e. aquaporin2 cre). We show that the floxedbeta1xHoxB7Cre mice have a profound branching phenotype in the collecting system, while the floxedbeta1xaquaporin2Cre mice have no obvious phenotype. However when the collecting tubules of the floxedbeta1xaquaporin2Cre mice are stressed by unilateral ureteric obstruction, the collecting ducts become markedly dilated and the tubule cells show far worse evidence of injury than control mice. Thus beta1 integrin only plays an important role in early UB branching morphogenesis and is not required for the later stages of collecting duct development. Despite this, beta1 integrin does play a critical role in maintaining the integrity of collecting ducts of adult mice when placed in conditions of increased hydrostatic pressure.