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β‐Catenin expression during vascular development and degeneration of avian mesonephros
Author(s) -
Nacher Víctor,
Carretero Ana,
Navarro Marc,
Armengol Clara,
Llombart Cristina,
Blasi Juan,
Ruberte Jesús
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of anatomy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.932
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1469-7580
pISSN - 0021-8782
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7580.2005.00382.x
Subject(s) - mesonephros , mesonephric duct , microbiology and biotechnology , beta catenin , biology , adherens junction , zebrafish , catenin , kidney development , wnt signaling pathway , anatomy , embryonic stem cell , kidney , endocrinology , signal transduction , genetics , cadherin , gene , cell
β‐Catenin is a structural component of adherens junctions, a regulator of the Wnt signalling pathway and a transcriptional co‐activator with a key role in vascular patterning. The avian mesonephros is a transitory embryonic kidney that is used in the study of vascular development and degeneration. Here we examine β‐catenin expression in this model during vascular development and degeneration. Quail embryos with developing or degenerating mesonephros were studied, on day 6 (30HH) or day 11 of incubation (40HH), respectively. QH1 whole mounts of developing mesonephros revealed numerous angioblast‐like cells situated in the paramesonephric duct that seem to invade the mesonephros. Although these cells did not express β‐catenin, the surrounding periductal mesenchymal cells translocated high levels of β‐catenin into the nucleus. In contrast, degenerating mesonephros were devoid of angioblast‐like cells and β‐catenin was lower than in the developing mesonephros. β‐Catenin was significantly reduced in the glomerular capillary tuffs, indicating that it was particularly down‐regulated in the vascular system. No sex‐related differences in β‐catenin expression were observed in degenerating mesonephros. Furthermore, two special populations of glomerular and peritubular endothelial cells were observed in degenerating mesonephros: one translocating β‐catenin into the nucleus and the other in apoptosis that did not translocate it. In conclusion, our results indicate that the paramesonephric duct is a potential new vasculogenetic pathway, and suggest that β‐catenin plays a role in the fate of mesonephric endothelial cells.