ATP-sensitive P2 receptors have been described in all mammalian nephron segments. A reductionist approach has demonstrated purinergic control of renal transporters in cell lines and heterologous expression systems. This brief update focuses on what is known of these receptors in native nephron segments (excluding the glomerulus) and outlines recent advances and possible future directions.

In this issue of Developmental Cell, Barak et al. (2012) identify a critical role for Fgf9 and Fgf20 signaling in the nephron progenitors of the developing mammalian kidney. These Fgfs serve as survival and nephron-forming competence signals for purified Six2+ cells that represent the progenitors that normally go on to generate nephrons.

There have been phenomenal advances in our understanding of renal biology over the last 20 years through our ability to define the genetic mutations causing kidney disease in children. This review will take you through a trip down the nephron and highlight how these conditions may present to the paediatrician and the molecular basis for their biological effects.

Background/Aims: SM22 ! , transgelin, has been revealed to be specifically expressed in glomerular epithelial cells and interstitial cells, according to the nature of the renal injury. In this study, quantitative analyses of SM22 ! positivity were performed to investigate the pathological significance of its expression. Methods: Kidney samples of adriamycin nephropathy underwent immunohistochem...

To gain molecular insight into kidney function, we performed a high-resolution quantitative analysis of gene expression in glomeruli and nine different nephron segments dissected from mouse kidney using Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE). We also developed dedicated bioinformatics tools and databases to annotate mRNA tags as transcripts. Over 800,000 mRNA SAGE tags were sequenced corresp...

Flow of tubule fluid to the macula densa is part of a proposed feedback loop for autoregulation of glomerular filtration rate. In the present study, autoregulation of single nephron filtration rate was tested in the presence and the absence of flow to the macula densa in the rat. Filtration rates were measured at elevated arterial blood pressures caused by carotid occlusion and vagal section an...

It has been suggested that low nephron number contributes to glomerular hypertension and hyperperfusion injury in progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD). The incidence of CKD in Japan is among the highest in the world, but the reasons remain unclear. We estimated total nephron (glomerular) number (NglomTOTAL) as well as numbers of nonsclerosed (NglomNSG) and globally sclerosed glomeruli (Nglo...

In chronic renal failure (CRF), reduction in renal mass leads to an increase in the filtration rates of the remaining nephrons and increased excretion of sodium per nephron. To address the mechanisms involved in the increased sodium excretion, we determined the total kidney levels and the densities per nephron of the major renal NaCl transporters in rats with experimental CRF. Two weeks after 5...