7-UP, THE DROSOPHILA HOMOLOG OF THE COUP-TF ORPHAN RECEPTORS CONTROLSCELL-PROLIFERATION IN THE INSECT KIDNEY

Morphogenesis of the insect kidney, the Malpighian tubules, is control led in Drosophila by a single large cell, the tip cell. It has been po stulated that this cell sends out a mitogenic signal that induces the division of neighboring cells. The signal and the molecules that recei ve it have remained elusive. We show that the COUP-TF-related nuclear orphan receptor Seven-up is a key component that becomes induced in re sponse to mitogenic EGF receptor signaling activity emanating from the tip cell. Seven-up in turn is capable of regulating the transcription of cell cycle regulators.