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Ciliogenesis in normal human kidney development and post-natal life

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Abstract

Ciliogenesis in developing and post-natal human kidneys appears to influence cell proliferation and differentiation, apico–basal cell polarity, and tubular lumen formation. We have analyzed the appearance of primary cilia and differentiation of kidney cells in ten human conceptuses aged 6–22 weeks and in one 5-year-old kidney, using a double immunofluorescence labeling technique for α-tubulin, γ-tubulin, Oct-4, and Ki-67 and by electron microscopy. Immature forms of nephrons and ampullae were characterized by intense cell proliferation, which subsequently decreased during development. Primary cilia appeared on the surfaces of non-proliferating cells in developing nephrons, gradually increasing in length from 0.59 μm in renal vesicles to 0.81 μm in the S-forms of nephrons, ultimately reaching 3.04 μm in length in mature fetal and post-natal nephrons. Ciliary length increased from 0.59 μm in ampullae to 1.28 μm in post-natal collecting tubules. Mesenchymal to epithelial transformation of kidney cells coincided with the appearance of apico–basal polarity, both gap and tight junctions, and lumen formation. Up-regulation of Oct-4 expression correlated with the onset of kidney cell differentiation. Our results demonstrate the importance of proper primary cilia lengthening and Oct-4 expression for the normal development of fetal and post-natal kidneys and of apico–basal polarity for normal tubular lumen formation. Disturbances in these processes are associated with ciliopathies.

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The authors declare the absence of any external financial interest in the information contained in this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, University of Split, Šoltanska 2, 21000, Split, Croatia

    Mirna Saraga-Babić & Katarina Vukojević

  2. Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Split, Split, Croatia

    Ivana Bočina

  3. Paediatric Outpatient Clinic, Solin, Croatia

    Kristina Drnašin

  4. Department of Pediatrics, Clinical Hospital of Split, Split, Croatia

    Marijan Saraga

Authors
  1. Mirna Saraga-Babić
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  2. Katarina Vukojević
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  3. Ivana Bočina
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  4. Kristina Drnašin
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  5. Marijan Saraga
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Correspondence to Mirna Saraga-Babić.

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Saraga-Babić, M., Vukojević, K., Bočina, I. et al. Ciliogenesis in normal human kidney development and post-natal life. Pediatr Nephrol 27, 55–63 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00467-011-1941-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00467-011-1941-7

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