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Metanephric organ culture us as a model for kidney development

Robert Bacallao Division of Nephrology Deparment of Medicine, Indiana University

Authors

Sherry Clendenon, Heather Ward, Rajesh Kher, Carrie Phillips, Robert Bacallao

Abstract

The nephron is the functional unit in the kidney which performs the absorptive and secretory activities necessary to maintain the milieu interior. This complicated structure is derived from three embryonic anlages which include hematopoietic cell lines, metanephric mesenchyme and ureteric bud. Early phases of kidney development can be studied in a relatively simplified organ culture system with recapitulates branching morphogenesis observed in vivo. In addition reciprocal induction events between ureteric bud elements and metanephric mesenchyme can be observed in detail using multiphoton imaging and computer reconstruction techniques. Recent work in our laboratory now permits 4-D imaging of developmental events in this system allowing researchers to provide paradigms for mathematical modeling. This technology, coupled with genetic tools available in mice will allow for identification of genes that play a critical role in nephrogenesis and will provide for verification of mathematical models.