Toward an understanding of epithelial morphogenesis in health and disease

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Mechanisms governing the biogenesis of the epithelial phenotype have been the focus of increasing attention in recent years. With respect to kidney development, investigators have attempted to address a wide range of relevant issues using cellular and molecular biologic techniques. Nevertheless, insights into the mechanisms of renal epithelial morphogenesis have evolved slowly. In part, this limitation reflects the prior emphasis on the embryonic kidney in organ culture, a system in which many important morphogenetic events occur simultaneously, making it difficult to define causality unambiguously. This is not to belittle the organ culture system: it, and even more so the embryonic kidney itself, represent the equivalent of a gold standard for students of nephrogenesis. But given the complexity of the morphogenetic processes under consideration, we believe it appropriate to call attention to simpler and more readily accessible model systems.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: