1
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Lee V, Hinton BT, Hirashima T. Collective cell dynamics and luminal fluid flow in the epididymis: A mechanobiological perspective. Andrology 2024; 12:939-948. [PMID: 37415418 PMCID: PMC11278975 DOI: 10.1111/andr.13490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mammalian epididymis is a specialized duct system that serves a critical role in sperm maturation and storage. Its distinctive, highly coiled tissue morphology provides a unique opportunity to investigate the link between form and function in reproductive biology. Although recent genetic studies have identified key genes and signaling pathways involved in the development and physiological functions of the epididymis, there has been limited discussion about the underlying dynamic and mechanical processes that govern these phenomena. AIMS In this review, we aim to address this gap by examining two key aspects of the epididymis across its developmental and physiological phases. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION First, we discuss how the complex morphology of the Wolffian/epididymal duct emerges through collective cell dynamics, including duct elongation, cell proliferation, and arrangement during embryonic development. Second, we highlight dynamic aspects of luminal fluid flow in the epididymis, essential for regulating the microenvironment for sperm maturation and motility, and discuss how this phenomenon emerges and interplays with epididymal epithelial cells. CONCLUSION This review not only aims to summarize current knowledge but also to provide a starting point for further exploration of mechanobiological aspects related to the cellular and extracellular fluid dynamics in the epididymis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Lee
- Mechanobiology, Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Barry T. Hinton
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Tsuyoshi Hirashima
- Mechanobiology, Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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2
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Oikonomou P, Cirne HC, Nerurkar NL. A chemo-mechanical model of endoderm movements driving elongation of the amniote hindgut. Development 2023; 150:dev202010. [PMID: 37840469 PMCID: PMC10690059 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Although mechanical and biochemical descriptions of development are each essential, integration of upstream morphogenic cues with downstream tissue mechanics remains understudied during vertebrate morphogenesis. Here, we developed a two-dimensional chemo-mechanical model to investigate how mechanical properties of the endoderm and transport properties of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) regulate avian hindgut morphogenesis in a coordinated manner. Posterior endoderm cells convert a gradient of FGF ligands into a contractile force gradient, leading to a force imbalance that drives collective cell movements that elongate the forming hindgut tube. We formulated a 2D reaction-diffusion-advection model describing the formation of an FGF protein gradient as a result of posterior displacement of cells transcribing unstable Fgf8 mRNA during axis elongation, coupled with translation, diffusion and degradation of FGF protein. The endoderm was modeled as an active viscous fluid that generates contractile stresses in proportion to FGF concentration. With parameter values constrained by experimental data, the model replicates key aspects of hindgut morphogenesis, suggests that graded isotropic contraction is sufficient to generate large anisotropic cell movements, and provides new insight into how chemo-mechanical coupling across the mesoderm and endoderm coordinates hindgut elongation with axis elongation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Oikonomou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, 351 Engineering Terrace, 1210 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Helena C. Cirne
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, 351 Engineering Terrace, 1210 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Nandan L. Nerurkar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, 351 Engineering Terrace, 1210 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027, USA
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3
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Crossen MJ, Wilbourne J, Fogarty A, Zhao F. Epithelial and mesenchymal fate decisions in Wolffian duct development. Trends Endocrinol Metab 2023; 34:462-473. [PMID: 37330364 PMCID: PMC10524679 DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2023.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Wolffian ducts (WDs) are the paired embryonic structures that give rise to internal male reproductive tract organs. WDs are initially formed in both sexes but have sex-specific fates during sexual differentiation. Understanding WD differentiation requires insights into the process of fate decisions of epithelial and mesenchymal cells, which are tightly coordinated by endocrine, paracrine, and autocrine signals. In this review, we discuss current advances in understanding the fate-decision process of WD epithelial and mesenchymal lineages from their initial formation at the embryonic stage to postnatal differentiation. Finally, we discuss aberrant cell differentiation in WD abnormalities and pathologies and identify opportunities for future investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- McKenna J Crossen
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Jillian Wilbourne
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Allyssa Fogarty
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Comparative Biomedical Sciences Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Fei Zhao
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Comparative Biomedical Sciences Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
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4
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Oikonomou P, Cirne HC, Nerurkar NL. A chemo-mechanical model of endoderm movements driving elongation of the amniote hindgut. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.18.541363. [PMID: 37292966 PMCID: PMC10245718 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.18.541363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
While mechanical and biochemical descriptions of development are each essential, integration of upstream morphogenic cues with downstream tissue mechanics remains understudied in many contexts during vertebrate morphogenesis. A posterior gradient of Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) ligands generates a contractile force gradient in the definitive endoderm, driving collective cell movements to form the hindgut. Here, we developed a two-dimensional chemo-mechanical model to investigate how mechanical properties of the endoderm and transport properties of FGF coordinately regulate this process. We began by formulating a 2-D reaction-diffusion-advection model that describes the formation of an FGF protein gradient due to posterior displacement of cells transcribing unstable Fgf8 mRNA during axis elongation, coupled with translation, diffusion, and degradation of FGF protein. This was used together with experimental measurements of FGF activity in the chick endoderm to inform a continuum model of definitive endoderm as an active viscous fluid that generates contractile stresses in proportion to FGF concentration. The model replicated key aspects of hindgut morphogenesis, confirms that heterogeneous - but isotropic - contraction is sufficient to generate large anisotropic cell movements, and provides new insight into how chemo-mechanical coupling across the mesoderm and endoderm coordinates hindgut elongation with outgrowth of the tailbud.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Helena C. Cirne
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York NY 10027
| | - Nandan L. Nerurkar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York NY 10027
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5
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Anderson MJ, Misaghian S, Sharma N, Perantoni AO, Lewandoski M. Fgf8 promotes survival of nephron progenitors by regulating BAX/BAK-mediated apoptosis. Differentiation 2023; 130:7-15. [PMID: 36527791 PMCID: PMC10718080 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2022.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Fibroblast growth factors (Fgfs) have long been implicated in processes critical to embryonic development, such as cell survival, migration, and differentiation. Several mouse models of organ development ascribe a prosurvival requirement specifically to FGF8. Here, we explore the potential role of prosurvival FGF8 signaling in kidney development. We have previously demonstrated that conditional deletion of Fgf8 in the mesodermal progenitors that give rise to the kidney leads to renal aplasia in the mutant neonate. Deleterious consequences caused by loss of FGF8 begin to manifest by E14.5 when massive aberrant cell death occurs in the cortical nephrogenic zone in the rudimentary kidney as well as in the renal vesicles that give rise to the nephrons. To rescue cell death in the Fgf8 mutant kidney, we inactivate the genes encoding the pro-apoptotic factors BAK and BAX. In a wild-type background, the loss of Bak and Bax abrogates normal cell death and has minimal effect on renal development. However, in Fgf8 mutants, the combined loss of Bak and Bax rescues aberrant cell death in the kidneys and restores some measure of kidney development: 1) the nephron progenitor population is greatly increased; 2) some glomeruli form, which are rarely observed in Fgf8 mutants; and 3) kidney size is rescued by about 50% at E18.5. The development of functional nephrons, however, is not rescued. Thus, FGF8 signaling is required for nephron progenitor survival by regulating BAK/BAX and for subsequent steps involving, as yet, undefined roles in kidney development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Anderson
- Genetics of Vertebrate Development Section, Cancer and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Salvia Misaghian
- Genetics of Vertebrate Development Section, Cancer and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Nirmala Sharma
- Renal Differentiation and Neoplasia Section, Cancer and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Alan O Perantoni
- Renal Differentiation and Neoplasia Section, Cancer and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Mark Lewandoski
- Genetics of Vertebrate Development Section, Cancer and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA.
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6
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Shi M, McCracken KW, Patel AB, Zhang W, Ester L, Valerius MT, Bonventre JV. Human ureteric bud organoids recapitulate branching morphogenesis and differentiate into functional collecting duct cell types. Nat Biotechnol 2023; 41:252-261. [PMID: 36038632 PMCID: PMC9957856 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-022-01429-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Directed differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) into functional ureteric and collecting duct (CD) epithelia is essential to kidney regenerative medicine. Here we describe highly efficient, serum-free differentiation of hPSCs into ureteric bud (UB) organoids and functional CD cells. The hPSCs are first induced into pronephric progenitor cells at 90% efficiency and then aggregated into spheres with a molecular signature similar to the nephric duct. In a three-dimensional matrix, the spheres form UB organoids that exhibit branching morphogenesis similar to the fetal UB and correct distal tip localization of RET expression. Organoid-derived cells incorporate into the UB tips of the progenitor niche in chimeric fetal kidney explant culture. At later stages, the UB organoids differentiate into CD organoids, which contain >95% CD cell types as estimated by single-cell RNA sequencing. The CD epithelia demonstrate renal electrophysiologic functions, with ENaC-mediated vectorial sodium transport by principal cells and V-type ATPase proton pump activity by FOXI1-induced intercalated cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Shi
- Division of Renal Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Division of Nephrology, Kidney Research Institute, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Kyle W McCracken
- Division of Renal Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. .,Division of Nephrology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. .,Division of Nephrology, Center for Stem Cell and Organoid Medicine (CuSTOM), Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, USA.
| | - Ankit B Patel
- Division of Renal Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Weitao Zhang
- Division of Renal Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Urology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lioba Ester
- Division of Renal Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Department II of Internal Medicine, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - M Todd Valerius
- Division of Renal Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge and Boston, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joseph V Bonventre
- Division of Renal Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. .,Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge and Boston, Boston, MA, USA. .,Division of Engineering in Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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7
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Ornitz DM, Itoh N. New developments in the biology of fibroblast growth factors. WIREs Mech Dis 2022; 14:e1549. [PMID: 35142107 PMCID: PMC10115509 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family is composed of 18 secreted signaling proteins consisting of canonical FGFs and endocrine FGFs that activate four receptor tyrosine kinases (FGFRs 1-4) and four intracellular proteins (intracellular FGFs or iFGFs) that primarily function to regulate the activity of voltage-gated sodium channels and other molecules. The canonical FGFs, endocrine FGFs, and iFGFs have been reviewed extensively by us and others. In this review, we briefly summarize past reviews and then focus on new developments in the FGF field since our last review in 2015. Some of the highlights in the past 6 years include the use of optogenetic tools, viral vectors, and inducible transgenes to experimentally modulate FGF signaling, the clinical use of small molecule FGFR inhibitors, an expanded understanding of endocrine FGF signaling, functions for FGF signaling in stem cell pluripotency and differentiation, roles for FGF signaling in tissue homeostasis and regeneration, a continuing elaboration of mechanisms of FGF signaling in development, and an expanding appreciation of roles for FGF signaling in neuropsychiatric diseases. This article is categorized under: Cardiovascular Diseases > Molecular and Cellular Physiology Neurological Diseases > Molecular and Cellular Physiology Congenital Diseases > Stem Cells and Development Cancer > Stem Cells and Development.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Ornitz
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Nobuyuki Itoh
- Kyoto University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sakyo, Kyoto, Japan
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8
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Wu Y, Huang S, Zhao H, Cao K, Gan J, Yang C, Xu Z, Li S, Su B. Zebrafish Minichromosome Maintenance Protein 5 Gene Regulates the Development and Migration of Facial Motor Neurons via Fibroblast Growth Factor Signaling. Dev Neurosci 2021; 43:84-94. [PMID: 34130286 DOI: 10.1159/000514852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Minichromosome maintenance protein 5 (MCM5), a member of the microchromosomal maintenance protein family, plays an important role in the initiation and extension of DNA replication. However, its role in neural development in zebrafish remains unclear. Here, we used morpholino (MO) and CRISPR/Cas9 to knock down mcm5 and investigated the developmental features of facial motor neurons (FMNs) in the hindbrain of zebrafish. We found that knockdown of mcm5 using mcm5 MO resulted in a small head, small eyes, and a blurred midbrain-hindbrain boundary, while MO injection of mcm5 led to decrease in FMNs and their migration disorder. However, the mutant of mcm5 only resulted in the migration defect of FMNs rather than quantity change. We further investigated the underlying mechanism of mcm5 in the development of hindbrain using in situ hybridization (ISH) and fgfr1a mRNA co-injected with mcm5 MO. Results from ISH showed that the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling pathway was changed when the MCM5 function was lost, with the decrease in fgfr1a and the increase in fgf8, while that of pea3 had opposite trend. FMN development defects were rescued by fgfr1a mRNA co-injected with mcm5 MO. Our results demonstrated that FGF signaling pathway is required for FMN development in zebrafish. Specifically, mcm5 regulates FMN development during zebrafish growing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongmei Wu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Department of Pathology, Development and Regeneration Key Lab of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China,
| | - Sizhou Huang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Department of Pathology, Development and Regeneration Key Lab of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Haixia Zhao
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Department of Pathology, Development and Regeneration Key Lab of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Kang Cao
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Department of Pathology, Development and Regeneration Key Lab of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Jinfan Gan
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Department of Pathology, Development and Regeneration Key Lab of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Chan Yang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Department of Pathology, Development and Regeneration Key Lab of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhen Xu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Department of Pathology, Development and Regeneration Key Lab of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Shurong Li
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Department of Pathology, Development and Regeneration Key Lab of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Bingyin Su
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Department of Pathology, Development and Regeneration Key Lab of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
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9
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Sanchez-Ferras O, Pacis A, Sotiropoulou M, Zhang Y, Wang YC, Bourgey M, Bourque G, Ragoussis J, Bouchard M. A coordinated progression of progenitor cell states initiates urinary tract development. Nat Commun 2021; 12:2627. [PMID: 33976190 PMCID: PMC8113267 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22931-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The kidney and upper urinary tract develop through reciprocal interactions between the ureteric bud and the surrounding mesenchyme. Ureteric bud branching forms the arborized collecting duct system of the kidney, while ureteric tips promote nephron formation from dedicated progenitor cells. While nephron progenitor cells are relatively well characterized, the origin of ureteric bud progenitors has received little attention so far. It is well established that the ureteric bud is induced from the nephric duct, an epithelial duct derived from the intermediate mesoderm of the embryo. However, the cell state transitions underlying the progression from intermediate mesoderm to nephric duct and ureteric bud remain unknown. Here we show that nephric duct morphogenesis results from the coordinated organization of four major progenitor cell populations. Using single cell RNA-seq and Cluster RNA-seq, we show that these progenitors emerge in time and space according to a stereotypical pattern. We identify the transcription factors Tfap2a/b and Gata3 as critical coordinators of this progenitor cell progression. This study provides a better understanding of the cellular origin of the renal collecting duct system and associated urinary tract developmental diseases, which may inform guided differentiation of functional kidney tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oraly Sanchez-Ferras
- Goodman Cancer Research Centre and Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Alain Pacis
- Goodman Cancer Research Centre and Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Canadian Centre for Computational Genomics, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Maria Sotiropoulou
- Department for Human Genetics, McGill University Genome Centre, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Yuhong Zhang
- Goodman Cancer Research Centre and Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Yu Chang Wang
- Department for Human Genetics, McGill University Genome Centre, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Mathieu Bourgey
- Canadian Centre for Computational Genomics, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department for Human Genetics, McGill University Genome Centre, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Guillaume Bourque
- Canadian Centre for Computational Genomics, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department for Human Genetics, McGill University Genome Centre, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Jiannis Ragoussis
- Department for Human Genetics, McGill University Genome Centre, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Maxime Bouchard
- Goodman Cancer Research Centre and Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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10
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Hess RA, Sharpe RM, Hinton BT. Estrogens and development of the rete testis, efferent ductules, epididymis and vas deferens. Differentiation 2021; 118:41-71. [PMID: 33441255 PMCID: PMC8026493 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2020.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Estrogen has always been considered the female hormone and testosterone the male hormone. However, estrogen's presence in the testis and deleterious effects of estrogen treatment during development have been known for nearly 90 years, long before estrogen receptors (ESRs) were discovered. Eventually it was learned that testes actually synthesize high levels of estradiol (E2) and sequester high concentrations in the reproductive tract lumen, which seems contradictory to the overwhelming number of studies showing reproductive pathology following exogenous estrogen exposures. For too long, the developmental pathology of estrogen has dominated our thinking, even resulting in the "estrogen hypothesis" as related to the testicular dysgenesis syndrome. However, these early studies and the development of an Esr1 knockout mouse led to a deluge of research into estrogen's potential role in and disruption of development and function of the male reproductive system. What is new is that estrogen action in the male cannot be divorced from that of androgen. This paper presents what is known about components of the estrogen pathway, including its synthesis and target receptors, and the need to achieve a balance between androgen- and estrogen-action in male reproductive tract differentiation and adult functions. The review focuses on what is known regarding development of the male reproductive tract, from the rete testis to the vas deferens, and examines the expression of estrogen receptors and presence of aromatase in the male reproductive system, traces the evidence provided by estrogen-associated knockout and transgenic animal models and discusses the effects of fetal and postnatal exposures to estrogens. Hopefully, there will be enough here to stimulate discussions and new investigations of the androgen:estrogen balance that seems to be essential for development of the male reproductive tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rex A Hess
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, IL, 61802 USA and Epivara, Inc., Research Park, 60 Hazelwood Dr., Suite 230G, Champaign, IL, 61820, USA.
| | - Richard M Sharpe
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK.
| | - Barry T Hinton
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
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11
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Huh SH, Ha L, Jang HS. Nephron Progenitor Maintenance Is Controlled through Fibroblast Growth Factors and Sprouty1 Interaction. J Am Soc Nephrol 2020; 31:2559-2572. [PMID: 32753399 DOI: 10.1681/asn.2020040401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nephron progenitor cells (NPCs) give rise to all segments of functional nephrons and are of great interest due to their potential as a source for novel treatment strategies for kidney disease. Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling plays pivotal roles in generating and maintaining NPCs during kidney development, but little is known about the molecule(s) regulating FGF signaling during nephron development. Sprouty 1 (SPRY1) is an antagonist of receptor tyrosine kinases. Although SPRY1 antagonizes Ret-GDNF signaling, which modulates renal branching, its role in NPCs is not known. METHODS Spry1, Fgf9, and Fgf20 compound mutant animals were used to evaluate kidney phenotypes in mice to understand whether SPRY1 modulates FGF signaling in NPCs and whether FGF8 functions with FGF9 and FGF20 in maintaining NPCs. RESULTS Loss of one copy of Spry1 counters effects of the loss of Fgf9 and Fgf20, rescuing bilateral renal agenesis premature NPC differentiation, NPC proliferation, and cell death defects. In the absence of SPRY1, FGF9, and FGF20, another FGF ligand, FGF8, promotes nephrogenesis. Deleting both Fgf8 and Fgf20 results in kidney agenesis, defects in NPC proliferation, and cell death. Deleting one copy of Fgf8 reversed the effect of deleting one copy of Spry1, which rescued the renal agenesis due to loss of Fgf9 and Fgf20. CONCLUSIONS SPRY1 expressed in NPCs modulates the activity of FGF signaling and regulates NPC stemness. These findings indicate the importance of the balance between positive and negative signals during NPC maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung-Ho Huh
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska .,Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Ligyeom Ha
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Hee-Seong Jang
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
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12
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Abstract
Congenital abnormalities of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) are a highly diverse group of diseases that together belong to the most common abnormalities detected in the new-born child. Consistent with this diversity, CAKUT are caused by mutations in a large number of genes and present a wide spectrum of phenotypes. In this review, we will focus on duplex kidneys, a relatively frequent form of CAKUT that is often asymptomatic but predisposes to vesicoureteral reflux and hydronephrosis. We will summarise the molecular programs responsible for ureter induction, review the genes that have been identified as risk factors in duplex kidney formation and discuss molecular and cellular mechanisms that may lead to this malformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir M Kozlov
- iBV, Institut de Biologie Valrose, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Université Cote d'Azur, Centre de Biochimie, UFR Sciences, Parc Valrose, Nice Cedex 2, 06108, France
| | - Andreas Schedl
- iBV, Institut de Biologie Valrose, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Université Cote d'Azur, Centre de Biochimie, UFR Sciences, Parc Valrose, Nice Cedex 2, 06108, France
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13
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Davidson AJ, Lewis P, Przepiorski A, Sander V. Turning mesoderm into kidney. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2018; 91:86-93. [PMID: 30172050 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2018.08.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2018] [Revised: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 08/28/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The intermediate mesoderm is located between the somites and the lateral plate mesoderm and gives rise to renal progenitors that contribute to the three mammalian kidney types (pronephros, mesonephros and metanephros). In this review, focusing largely on murine kidney development, we examine how the intermediate mesoderm forms during gastrulation/axis elongation and how it progressively gives rise to distinct renal progenitors along the rostro-caudal axis. We highlight some of the potential signalling cues and core transcription factor circuits that direct these processes, up to the point of early metanephric kidney formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan J Davidson
- Department of Molecular Medicine & Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 921019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
| | - Paula Lewis
- Department of Molecular Medicine & Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 921019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Aneta Przepiorski
- Department of Molecular Medicine & Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 921019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Veronika Sander
- Department of Molecular Medicine & Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 921019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
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14
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Olson HM, Nechiporuk AV. Using Zebrafish to Study Collective Cell Migration in Development and Disease. Front Cell Dev Biol 2018; 6:83. [PMID: 30175096 PMCID: PMC6107837 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2018.00083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular migration is necessary for proper embryonic development as well as maintenance of adult health. Cells can migrate individually or in groups in a process known as collective cell migration. Collectively migrating cohorts maintain cell-cell contacts, group polarization, and exhibit coordinated behavior. This mode of migration is important during numerous developmental processes including tracheal branching, blood vessel sprouting, neural crest cell migration and others. In the adult, collective cell migration is important for proper wound healing and is often misappropriated during cancer cell invasion. A variety of genetic model systems are used to examine and define the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind collective cell migration including border cell migration and tracheal branching in Drosophila melanogaster, neural crest cell migration in chick and Xenopus embryos, and posterior lateral line primordium (pLLP) migration in zebrafish. The pLLP is a group of about 100 cells that begins migrating around 22 hours post-fertilization along the lateral aspect of the trunk of the developing embryo. During migration, clusters of cells are deposited from the trailing end of the pLLP; these ultimately differentiate into mechanosensory organs of the lateral line system. As zebrafish embryos are transparent during early development and the pLLP migrates close to the surface of the skin, this system can be easily visualized and manipulated in vivo. These advantages together with the amenity to advance genetic methods make the zebrafish pLLP one of the premier model systems for studying collective cell migration. This review will describe the cellular behaviors and signaling mechanisms of the pLLP and compare the pLLP to collective cell migration in other popular model systems. In addition, we will examine how this type of migration is hijacked by collectively invading cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah M Olson
- Department Cell, Developmental & Cancer Biology, The Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States.,Neuroscience Graduate Program, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Alex V Nechiporuk
- Department Cell, Developmental & Cancer Biology, The Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
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15
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Abstract
Epithelial tubes are crucial to the function of organ systems including the excretory, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and pulmonary. Studies in the last two decades using in vitro organotypic systems and a variety of animal models have substantiated a large number of the morphogenetic mechanisms required to form epithelial tubes in development and regeneration. Many of these mechanisms modulate the differentiation and proliferation events necessary for generating the cell movements and changes in cell shape to delineate the wide variety of epithelial tube sizes, lengths, and conformations. For instance, when coupled with oriented cell division, proliferation itself plays a role in changes in tube shape and their directed expansion. Most of these processes are regulated in response to signaling inputs from adjacent cells or soluble factors from the environment. Despite the great deal of recent investigation in this direction, the knowledge we have about the signaling pathways associated with all epithelial tubulogenesis in development and regeneration is still very limited.
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16
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Naylor RW, Dodd RC, Davidson AJ. Caudal migration and proliferation of renal progenitors regulates early nephron segment size in zebrafish. Sci Rep 2016; 6:35647. [PMID: 27759103 PMCID: PMC5069491 DOI: 10.1038/srep35647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2016] [Accepted: 10/03/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The nephron is the functional unit of the kidney and is divided into distinct proximal and distal segments. The factors determining nephron segment size are not fully understood. In zebrafish, the embryonic kidney has long been thought to differentiate in situ into two proximal tubule segments and two distal tubule segments (distal early; DE, and distal late; DL) with little involvement of cell movement. Here, we overturn this notion by performing lineage-labelling experiments that reveal extensive caudal movement of the proximal and DE segments and a concomitant compaction of the DL segment as it fuses with the cloaca. Laser-mediated severing of the tubule, such that the DE and DL are disconnected or that the DL and cloaca do not fuse, results in a reduction in tubule cell proliferation and significantly shortens the DE segment while the caudal movement of the DL is unaffected. These results suggest that the DL mechanically pulls the more proximal segments, thereby driving both their caudal extension and their proliferation. Together, these data provide new insights into early nephron morphogenesis and demonstrate the importance of cell movement and proliferation in determining initial nephron segment size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard W Naylor
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Rachel C Dodd
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Alan J Davidson
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
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17
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Kim HY, Jackson TR, Davidson LA. On the role of mechanics in driving mesenchymal-to-epithelial transitions. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2016; 67:113-122. [PMID: 27208723 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2016.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2016] [Revised: 05/12/2016] [Accepted: 05/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET) is an intrinsically mechanical process describing a multi-step progression where autonomous mesenchymal cells gradually become tightly linked, polarized epithelial cells. METs are fundamental to a wide range of biological processes, including the evolution of multicellular organisms, generation of primary and secondary epithelia during development and organogenesis, and the progression of diseases including cancer. In these cases, there is an interplay between the establishment of cell polarity and the mechanics of neighboring cells and microenvironment. In this review, we highlight a spectrum of METs found in normal development as well as in pathological lesions, and provide insight into the critical role mechanics play at each step. We define MET as an independent process, distinct from a reverse-EMT, and propose questions to further explore the cellular and physical mechanisms of MET.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye Young Kim
- Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Timothy R Jackson
- Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Lance A Davidson
- Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Department of Developmental Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
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18
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Migration of Founder Epithelial Cells Drives Proper Molar Tooth Positioning and Morphogenesis. Dev Cell 2016; 35:713-24. [PMID: 26702830 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2015.11.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2015] [Revised: 10/19/2015] [Accepted: 11/24/2015] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The proper positioning of organs during development is essential, yet little is known about the regulation of this process in mammals. Using murine tooth development as a model, we have found that cell migration plays a central role in positioning of the organ primordium. By combining lineage tracing, genetic cell ablation, and confocal live imaging, we identified a migratory population of Fgf8-expressing epithelial cells in the embryonic mandible. These Fgf8-expressing progenitors furnish the epithelial cells required for tooth development, and the progenitor population migrates toward a Shh-expressing region in the mandible, where the tooth placode will initiate. Inhibition of Fgf and Shh signaling disrupted the oriented migration of cells, leading to a failure of tooth development. These results demonstrate the importance of intraepithelial cell migration in proper positioning of an initiating organ.
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19
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Mayor R, Etienne-Manneville S. The front and rear of collective cell migration. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2016; 17:97-109. [PMID: 26726037 DOI: 10.1038/nrm.2015.14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 514] [Impact Index Per Article: 64.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Collective cell migration has a key role during morphogenesis and during wound healing and tissue renewal in the adult, and it is involved in cancer spreading. In addition to displaying a coordinated migratory behaviour, collectively migrating cells move more efficiently than if they migrated separately, which indicates that a cellular interplay occurs during collective cell migration. In recent years, evidence has accumulated confirming the importance of such intercellular communication and exploring the molecular mechanisms involved. These mechanisms are based both on direct physical interactions, which coordinate the cellular responses, and on the collective cell behaviour that generates an optimal environment for efficient directed migration. The recent studies have described how leader cells at the front of cell groups drive migration and have highlighted the importance of follower cells and cell-cell communication, both between followers and between follower and leader cells, to improve the efficiency of collective movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Mayor
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Sandrine Etienne-Manneville
- Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR 3691, Cell Polarity, Migration and Cancer Unit, 25 Rue du Dr Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France
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20
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Atsuta Y, Takahashi Y. FGF8 coordinates tissue elongation and cell epithelialization during early kidney tubulogenesis. Development 2015; 142:2329-37. [PMID: 26130757 PMCID: PMC4510593 DOI: 10.1242/dev.122408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
When a tubular structure forms during early embryogenesis, tubular elongation and lumen formation (epithelialization) proceed simultaneously in a spatiotemporally coordinated manner. We here demonstrate, using the Wolffian duct (WD) of early chicken embryos, that this coordination is regulated by the expression of FGF8, which shifts posteriorly during body axis elongation. FGF8 acts as a chemoattractant on the leader cells of the elongating WD and prevents them from epithelialization, whereas static (‘rear’) cells that receive progressively less FGF8 undergo epithelialization to form a lumen. Thus, FGF8 acts as a binary switch that distinguishes tubular elongation from lumen formation. The posteriorly shifting FGF8 is also known to regulate somite segmentation, suggesting that multiple types of tissue morphogenesis are coordinately regulated by macroscopic changes in body growth. Highlighted article: Body axis elongation is regulated by posterior FGF8 signals . In chicken, nephric duct extension also requires this FGF8 signal, while low FGF8 anteriorly triggers duct lumen formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuji Atsuta
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Yoshiko Takahashi
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0076, Japan
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