A SHH-FOXF1-BMP4 signaling axis regulating growth and differentiation of epithelial and mesenchymal tissues in ureter development
Fig 1
Tbx18cre/+;Smofl/fl (SmoLOF) embryos exhibit severe ureter defects at E18.5.
(A-D) Morphology of whole urogenital systems of male (A,B) and female (C,D) embryos. Arrows point to hydroureters in SmoLOF embryos. (E-H) Hematoxylin and Eosin (HE) stainings on midsagittal sections of the kidney (E,F) and of the proximal ureter (G,H). (I-T) Cytodifferentiation of the ureteric mesenchyme (I-P) and urothelium (Q-T) is compromised in SmoLOF embryos as shown by immunofluorescence (I-L,Q-T) or RNA in situ hybridization (M-P) analysis on transverse sections of the proximal ureter. (U-X) Absence of physical obstruction in the SmoLOF ureter as revealed by ink injection experiments (U,V) and HE stainings of the vesicoureteral junction (W,X). (Y-Z’) Explants of E14.5 ureters after 0 and 4 days of culture. Genotypes and markers are as shown.