Description
During kidney development segmented epithelia of the nephron derive from progenitor cells in the metanephric mesenchyme after induction by secreted molecules from the ureteric bud. We have identified three distinct inductive activities from a ureteric bud cell line. These include leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and an active fraction currently referred to as ANX. Each of these activities induces segmented nephron epithelia in isolated rat metanephric mesenchyme over a time period of 7 days. This study was designed to characterize the temporal sequence of gene expression in the course of the conversion process induced by each of the distinct inducers.