In animal models, kidney formation is known to be controlled by the proteins RET, GDNF,
and GFRA1; however, no human studies to date have shown an association between …

Self-renewal and proliferation of nephron progenitor cells and the decision to initiate
nephrogenesis are crucial events directing kidney development. Despite recent …

Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) form a group of
heterogeneous disorders that affect the kidneys, ureters and bladder, with frequent …

Parkinson's disease is a neurological disorder which afflicts an increasing number of
individuals. If the wider complex of extrapyramidal symptoms referred to as “age-related …

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is a trophic factor for peripheral organs,
spinal cord, and midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons. Levels of GDNF deteriorate in the …

Background Development of the kidney is initiated when the ureteric bud (UB) branches
from the Wolffian duct and invades the overlying metanephric mesenchyme (MM) triggering …

Abstract Mdm2 (Murine Double Minute-2) is required to control cellular p53 activity and
protein levels. Mdm2 null embryos die of p53-mediated growth arrest and apoptosis at the …

Although both the renin angiotensin system (RAS) and the paired homeobox 2 gene (Pax-2)
seem critically important in renal organogenesis, whether and how they might interact has …

The urine collecting duct system of the metanephric kidney develops by growth and
branching morphogenesis of an unbranched progenitor tubule, the ureteric bud. Bud …

Nephron progenitor cells surround around the ureteric bud tips (UB) and inductively interact
with the UB to originate nephrons, the basic units of renal function. This process is …