A REQUIREMENT FOR BONE MORPHOGENETIC PROTEIN-7 DURING DEVELOPMENT OF THE MAMMALIAN KIDNEY AND EYE

BMP-7/OP-1, a member of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) family of secreted growth factors, is expressed during mouse embryoge nesis in a pattern suggesting potential roles in a variety of inductiv e tissue interactions. The present study demonstrates that mice lackin g BMP-7 display severe defects confined to the developing kidney and e ye. Surprisingly, the early inductive tissue interactions responsible for establishing both organs appear largely unaffected. However, the a bsence of BMP-7 disrupts the subsequent cellular interactions required for their continued growth and development. Consequently, homozygous mutant animals exhibit renal dysplasia and anophthalmia at birth. Over all, these findings identify BMP-7 as an essential signaling molecule during mammalian kidney and eye development.