Current Opinion in Nephrology and Hypertension. 10(3):429-436, MAY 2001
PMID: 11342809
Issn Print: 1062-4821
Publication Date: May 2001
Genes and proteins involved in mesenchymal to epithelial transition
Jonathan Barasch;
+ Author Information
Department of Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
Abstract
It has been known for many years that the epithelia of the urogenital system derive from mesenchyme. Essential regulators of this conversion have recently been discovered, and cellular changes have been described. However, we do not have a coherent view of how these dramatic changes are integrated, nor do we know the source or identity of extracellular signals that must regulate epithelialization of mesenchymal precursors. The metanephric kidney, Wolffian duct, and the Drosophila midgut are the leading model systems to describe how epithelia derive from mesenchyme.
