kidney development

Definition

Target type: biologicalprocess

The process whose specific outcome is the progression of the kidney over time, from its formation to the mature structure. The kidney is an organ that filters the blood and/or excretes the end products of body metabolism in the form of urine. [GOC:dph, GOC:mtg_kidney_jan10, ISBN:0124020607, ISBN:0721662544]

Kidney development is a complex and intricate process that involves a series of precisely coordinated events, starting from the formation of the metanephric mesenchyme and the ureteric bud, and culminating in the formation of a fully functional organ. The process begins during the fifth week of human embryonic development, with the appearance of the metanephric mesenchyme, an undifferentiated mesenchymal tissue, in the posterior abdominal wall. Simultaneously, the ureteric bud, an outgrowth from the mesonephric duct, extends toward the metanephric mesenchyme. The interaction between the ureteric bud and the metanephric mesenchyme is crucial for kidney development and involves reciprocal signaling pathways. The ureteric bud induces the metanephric mesenchyme to differentiate into epithelial structures, forming the nephrons, the functional units of the kidney. Conversely, the metanephric mesenchyme promotes the branching and elongation of the ureteric bud, giving rise to the collecting ducts and the renal pelvis. As the ureteric bud branches and extends, it undergoes repeated rounds of branching, leading to the formation of the collecting duct system. Meanwhile, the metanephric mesenchyme condenses and forms epithelial structures known as nephric vesicles. These vesicles further differentiate into the renal corpuscle, the proximal tubule, the loop of Henle, and the distal tubule, collectively constituting the nephron. Nephrons play a vital role in urine formation by filtering blood and reabsorbing essential nutrients. The process of kidney development is tightly regulated by various growth factors, transcription factors, and signaling pathways. Some of the key factors involved include Wnt signaling, FGF signaling, BMP signaling, and Ret signaling. These factors interact with each other in a complex network, orchestrating the precise timing and spatial organization of kidney development. The final stages of kidney development involve the formation of the renal capsule, the outer layer of the kidney, and the establishment of the vascular system. The kidney becomes fully functional around the 36th week of gestation. Disruptions in these intricate developmental processes can lead to various congenital kidney diseases, such as polycystic kidney disease, renal agenesis, and hypoplasia. '
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Proteins (28)

Compounds (542)