Molecular Insights into Segmentation along the... : Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (original) (raw)

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Molecular Insights into Segmentation along the Proximal–Distal Axis of the Nephron

*Departments of Molecular Biology and Pharmacology and Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; and †Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

Correspondence: Dr. Raphael Kopan, Department of Molecular Biology and Pharmacology and Department of Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, Campus Box 8103, St. Louis, MO 63110. Phone: 314-747-5520; Fax: 314-362-7058; E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

The structure of a mammalian kidney is parsed into large collections of polarized nephrons, and each segment is home to a diverse community of cells that specialize in renal endocrine and excretory functions. Early developmental lengthening and diversification of nephron segments along a proximal-–distal axis initiate all subsequent facets of tubular growth and function. Morphogenic cues and biochemical interactions that are critical to this process are starting to emerge. The underlying principles of regional cell signaling and transcriptional control organizing early segmentation are the subject of this review.