Going in circles: conserved mechanisms control radial patterning in the urinary and digestive tracts

The Journal of Clinical Investigation
Cathy Mendelsohn

Abstract

Radial patterning in the urinary tract and gut depends on reciprocal signaling between epithelial cells, which form mucosa, and mesenchyme, which forms smooth muscle and connective tissue. These interactions depend on sonic hedgehog (Shh), which is secreted by epithelial cells and induces expression of bone morphogenetic protein 4 (Bmp4), a signaling molecule required for differentiation of smooth muscle progenitors. Patterning of the specialized mucosa lining the anterior-posterior (A-P) axis may be controlled independently by regionally expressed mesenchymal transcription factors. A study by Airik et al. in this issue of the JCI reveals that T-box 18 (Tbx18), a transcription factor selectively expressed in ureteral mesenchyme, regulates smooth muscle differentiation by maintaining Shh1 responsiveness in mesenchymal progenitors (see the related article beginning on page 663). Deletion of Tbx18 resulted in defective urothelial differentiation at the level of the ureter, suggesting that Tbx18 acts via mesenchyme as an important regulator of A-P patterning in the urinary tract.

References

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Citations

Dec 17, 2008·Pediatric Nephrology : Journal of the International Pediatric Nephrology Association·Feng Chen
Dec 17, 2009·The International Journal of Developmental Biology·Benchun LiuLaurence S Baskin
Feb 15, 2013·Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews. Systems Biology and Medicine·Hila Milo Rasouly, Weining Lu
Aug 8, 2009·Developmental Biology·Michelle SelfGuillermo Oliver
Dec 12, 2007·Developmental Dynamics : an Official Publication of the American Association of Anatomists·Sunita SinghKirk M McHugh

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