The role of homeobox genes in kidney development

Homeodomain-containing transcription factors are essential for a variety of processes in vertebrate development, including organogenesis. They have be en shown to regulate cell proliferation, pattern segmental identity and det ermine cell fate decisions during embryogenesis. During nephrogenesis, home obox genes play an important role at multiple developmental stages, from th e early events in intermediate mesoderm to terminal differentiation of glom erular and tubular epithelia. Increasingly sophisticated genetic approaches will probably reveal additional functions for this class of transcription factors in the developing kidney and lead to the identification of critical downstream target genes. Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens 9:37-42. (C) 2000 Lip pincott Williams & Wilkins.