1. Molecular Mechanisms of Renal Progenitor Regulation: How Many Pieces in the Puzzle?
- Author
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Anna Julie Peired, Cosimo Nardi, Maria Elena Melica, Alice Molli, Paola Romagnani, and Laura Lasagni
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,renal progenitors ,030232 urology & nephrology ,Retinoic acid ,molecular mechanisms ,Nephron ,Review ,Biology ,Kidney ,Models, Biological ,single-cell RNA sequencing ,03 medical and health sciences ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,0302 clinical medicine ,medicine ,biochemistry ,Animals ,Humans ,Regeneration ,Progenitor cell ,lcsh:QH301-705.5 ,Progenitor ,Stem Cells ,Wnt signaling pathway ,kidney injury ,molecular signature ,General Medicine ,Epithelium ,Cell biology ,TLR2 ,030104 developmental biology ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,lcsh:Biology (General) ,chemistry ,Homeostasis - Abstract
Kidneys of mice, rats and humans possess progenitors that maintain daily homeostasis and take part in endogenous regenerative processes following injury, owing to their capacity to proliferate and differentiate. In the glomerular and tubular compartments of the nephron, consistent studies demonstrated that well-characterized, distinct populations of progenitor cells, localized in the parietal epithelium of Bowman capsule and scattered in the proximal and distal tubules, could generate segment-specific cells in physiological conditions and following tissue injury. However, defective or abnormal regenerative responses of these progenitors can contribute to pathologic conditions. The molecular characteristics of renal progenitors have been extensively studied, revealing that numerous classical and evolutionarily conserved pathways, such as Notch or Wnt/β-catenin, play a major role in cell regulation. Others, such as retinoic acid, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, TLR2 (Toll-Like Receptor 2) and leptin, are also important in this process. In this review, we summarize the plethora of molecular mechanisms directing renal progenitor responses during homeostasis and following kidney injury. Finally, we will explore how single cell RNA sequencing could bring the characterization of renal progenitors to the next level, while knowing their molecular signature is gaining relevance in the clinic. more...
- Published
- 2020