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BMP signaling and its modifiers in kidney development

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Abstract

The kidney develops through mutual interactions between the metanephric mesenchyme and the ureteric bud, the former of which contains nephron progenitors that give rise to glomeruli and renal tubules. Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling and its modifiers play important roles in many steps of kidney development. BMP4 inhibits ureteric bud attraction, and the BMP antagonist Gremlin is essential for the initial stage of ureteric budding. During mid-gestation, BMP7 maintains the nephron progenitors and, at the same time, sensitizes them to the ureteric bud-derived differentiation signal. Crossveinless2 is a pro-BMP factor, and its absence leads to kidney hypoplasia. After birth, when nephron progenitors have disappeared, Dullard, a phosphatase that inactivates BMP receptors, keeps BMP signaling at an appropriate level. Deletion of Dullard results in excessive BMP signaling and apoptosis of the postnatal nephrons. In this review I discuss the similarities and differences of BMP functions in kidney development, as well as in diseases.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Makoto Asashima for his long-term support and encouragement since we started our collaboration in 1996.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Kidney Development, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan

    Ryuichi Nishinakamura & Masaji Sakaguchi

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  1. Ryuichi Nishinakamura
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  2. Masaji Sakaguchi
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Correspondence to Ryuichi Nishinakamura.

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Nishinakamura, R., Sakaguchi, M. BMP signaling and its modifiers in kidney development. Pediatr Nephrol 29, 681–686 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00467-013-2671-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00467-013-2671-9

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