Roles of Pygo1 and Pygo2 in Kidney Development
Author Information
Author(s): Kristopher R Schwab, Larry T Patterson, Heather A Hartman, Ni Song, Richard A Lang, Xinhua Lin, S Steven Potter
Primary Institution: Children's Hospital Medical Center
Hypothesis
What are the functions of Pygo1 and Pygo2 in canonical Wnt signaling during kidney development?
Conclusion
The mammalian Pygopus genes are required for normal branching morphogenesis of the ureteric bud during kidney development.
Supporting Evidence
- Pygo2 homozygous mutants died shortly after birth with severe developmental defects.
- Pygo1 homozygous mutants were viable and showed no detectable defects.
- Double Pygo1/Pygo2 mutants showed reduced Wnt signaling but normal nephron formation.
Takeaway
The Pygo1 and Pygo2 genes help the kidneys grow properly, but even without them, the kidneys can still form most of their parts.
Methodology
Targeted mutations were made in Pygo1 and Pygo2 genes, and various analyses including confocal microscopy and microarray were performed.
Limitations
The study primarily focused on kidney development and may not fully represent the roles of Pygo1 and Pygo2 in other organ systems.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.01
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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