QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s):
Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents

Help viewing high resolution images Return to article

Fig. 7. Ectopic BMP signaling induces ureter morphogenesis in zones of the UB normally fated to differentiate into collecting tubules. Whole-mount images of E12.5 (A-F) or 14.5 (G-J) metanephric explants cultured for 4 days in the absence (A,B,G,H) or presence (C-F,I,J) of recombinant BMP4. The UB network is labeled with antibodies directed against E-cadherin (red, A-F; blue, G-J), differentiated ureter epithelia identified by uroplakin expression (A,C,E, green; G-J, red) and the ureteral smooth muscle coat visualized by SMA expression (B,D,F,H, green). (J) Enlargement of framed area in I. In control cultures (A,B,G,H), ureter differentiation occurs only in the distal-most domain of the UB (arrowheads) as determined by upregulated uroplakin expression (A,G) and formation of a well-organized SMA-positive (B,G) coat. SMA-positive cells can also be detected between medullary collecting tubules (ml), but are not organized into a dense connective investment around the tubules in this location. Both uroplakin-positive cells (B,E,I,J) and an SMA-positive connective tissue investment can be detected in more proximal zones of the UB (pUB) network (^* referring to proximal domains of UB network) when cultures are maintained with 25 ng/ml (C,D) or 100 ng/ml BMP4 (E,F,I,J).

Return to article