Repression of Interstitial Identity in Nephron Progenitor Cells by Pax2 Establishes the Nephron-Interstitium Boundary during Kidney Development

Publication date: 22 May 2017
Source:Developmental Cell, Volume 41, Issue 4
Author(s): Natalie Naiman, Kaoru Fujioka, Mari Fujino, M. Todd Valerius, S. Steven Potter, Andrew P. McMahon, Akio Kobayashi
The kidney contains the functional units, the nephrons, surrounded by the renal interstitium. Previously we discovered that, once Six2-expressing nephron progenitor cells and Foxd1-expressing renal interstitial progenitor cells form at the onset of kidney development, descendant cells from these populations contribute exclusively to the main body of nephrons and renal interstitial tissues, respectively, indicating a lineage boundary between the nephron and renal interstitial compartments. Currently it is unclear how lineages are regulated during kidney organogenesis. We demonstrate that nephron progenitor cells lacking Pax2 fail to differentiate into nephron cells but can switch fates into renal interstitium-like cell types. These data suggest that Pax2 function maintains nephron progenitor cells by repressing a renal interstitial cell program. Thus, the lineage boundary between the nephron and renal interstitial compartments is maintained by the Pax2 activity in nephron progenitor cells during kidney organogenesis.

Graphical abstract

Teaser

The lineage boundary exists between the nephron and interstitial compartments in the kidney. It is currently unclear how lineage boundaries are formed during kidney development. Naiman et al. show that repression of interstitial fates in nephron progenitor cells by Pax2 establishes the nephron-interstitium boundary throughout kidney organogenesis.


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