Laminin-1 has previously been shown to be of major importance for the development of kidney tubules. Antibodies against fragments E8 and E3 of laminin-1 perturb kidney development in vitro. We here studied expression of integrins alpha 6 beta 1 and alpha 6 beta 4, two known laminin receptors, during kidney development. Integrin beta 1 subunit could be detected by immunofluorescence on all cell types of embryonic mouse kidney, but we could not detect integrin beta 4 subunit in embryonic kidney by immunofluorescence or by in situ hybridization. The presence of integrin alpha 6 subunit in all epithelia of embryonic kidney was demonstrated by immunofluorescence and by in situ hybridization. RT-PCR showed that alpha 6B is the major splice variant in embryonic kidney. During in vitro conversion of nephrogenic mesenchyme to epithelial tubules, a strong increase in the expression of the 6 kb mRNA for alpha 6 integrin subunit was seen by northern blotting at the onset of epithelial morphogenesis, on day two of culture. Immunoprecipitation of extracts from embryonic kidney with antibodies against alpha 6 subunit yielded bands corresponding to the expected size of beta 1 integrin subunit but not of beta 4 subunit. Monoclonal antibodies against either alpha 6 or beta 1 subunit but not against E-cadherin blocked kidney tubulogenesis in vitro. This suggests that integrin alpha 6B beta 1 is involved in kidney tubulogenesis in vitro. Another possibility is that the antibodies against integrin alpha 6 and beta 1 subunit cause abnormal signalling by the integrin.
JOURNAL ARTICLE|
01 December 1996
Integrin alpha 6B beta 1 is involved in kidney tubulogenesis in vitro
M. Falk,
M. Falk
Department of Animal Physiology, Uppsala University, Biomedical Center, Uppsala, Sweden.
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K. Salmivirta,
K. Salmivirta
Department of Animal Physiology, Uppsala University, Biomedical Center, Uppsala, Sweden.
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M. Durbeej,
M. Durbeej
Department of Animal Physiology, Uppsala University, Biomedical Center, Uppsala, Sweden.
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E. Larsson,
E. Larsson
Department of Animal Physiology, Uppsala University, Biomedical Center, Uppsala, Sweden.
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M. Ekblom,
M. Ekblom
Department of Animal Physiology, Uppsala University, Biomedical Center, Uppsala, Sweden.
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D. Vestweber,
D. Vestweber
Department of Animal Physiology, Uppsala University, Biomedical Center, Uppsala, Sweden.
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P. Ekblom
P. Ekblom
Department of Animal Physiology, Uppsala University, Biomedical Center, Uppsala, Sweden.
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M. Falk
Department of Animal Physiology, Uppsala University, Biomedical Center, Uppsala, Sweden.
K. Salmivirta
Department of Animal Physiology, Uppsala University, Biomedical Center, Uppsala, Sweden.
M. Durbeej
Department of Animal Physiology, Uppsala University, Biomedical Center, Uppsala, Sweden.
E. Larsson
Department of Animal Physiology, Uppsala University, Biomedical Center, Uppsala, Sweden.
M. Ekblom
Department of Animal Physiology, Uppsala University, Biomedical Center, Uppsala, Sweden.
D. Vestweber
Department of Animal Physiology, Uppsala University, Biomedical Center, Uppsala, Sweden.
P. Ekblom
Department of Animal Physiology, Uppsala University, Biomedical Center, Uppsala, Sweden.
Online Issn: 1477-9137
Print Issn: 0021-9533
© 1996 by Company of Biologists
1996
J Cell Sci (1996) 109 (12): 2801–2810.
Citation
M. Falk, K. Salmivirta, M. Durbeej, E. Larsson, M. Ekblom, D. Vestweber, P. Ekblom; Integrin alpha 6B beta 1 is involved in kidney tubulogenesis in vitro. J Cell Sci 1 December 1996; 109 (12): 2801–2810. doi: https://doi.org/10.1242/jcs.109.12.2801
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