The kidney develops from the reciprocal inductive interactions between two precursor tissues: the metanephric mesenchyme and the ureteric bud. Most nephron components, including glomeruli and renal tubules, derive from the metanephric mesenchyme. The mesenchyme surrounding the ureteric bud, called the cap mesenchyme, is characterized by the elevated expression of transcriptional factor Six2 and Sall1. The cap mesenchyme represents the self-renewing nephron progenitors, and undergoes mesenchyme-to-epithelial transition to form most parts of the nephron.
Today we discuss the three topics, the maintenance of nephron progenitors, the nephron differentiation, and the nephron maintenance after birth.

1. The role of Sall1 in the nephron progenitors.
Shoichiro Kanda

2. Nonmuscle myosin II is essential for nephron development in the embryonic kidney.
Mariam Recuenco

3. The phosphatase Dullard negatively regulates BMP signalling and is essential for nephron maintenance after birth.
Ryuichi Nishinakamura and Masaji Sakaguchi