Kidney Development and Renal Repair
Over the last 3 years we have used microarray and in situ based expression profiling to develop detailed molecular atlas of Urogenital development. These data have formed the basis for a series of studies to provide a more complete understanding of normal development of the GU tract as well as the molecular basis for renal disease and repair.
- Transcriptional networks in kidney development: These data are being used to define gene networks involved in metanephric induction, reciprocal communication between key cell types and the network of proteins active in the extracellular space during kidney development.
- Developmental programming and renal disease: It has been known that nutritional deprivation during critical developmental periods leaves an imprint that is subsequently detrimental to adult health. We are using these atlases to identify which normal transcriptional programs are perturbed in the kidney during nutritional developmental programming.
- Insights into Renal repair: There is growing evidence that renal cellular replacement following injury involves a recapitulation of embryonic genes important in nephrogenesis. We hypothesize that these regenerative processes are mediated by secreted factors and their systematic identification will provide leads for the treatment of renal damage. This work forms part of a collaborative project undertaken as part of the Renal Regeneration Consortium. More information on the long-term objectives of these studies can be sourced at the following URL: http://kidney.scgap.org