The function of bioactive purinergic and lipid signalling in Xenopus kidney development. (360G-Wellcome-082071_Z_07_Z)

The aim of this project is to establish the roles of purinergic and/or bioactive lipid signalling in pronephric kidney development in the vertebrate model organism Xenopus laevis. We will characterise the distributions of both the ENPP family of ecto-enzymes which generate these active ligands, and the available ligand receptors to identify which are expressed in the pronephric kidney. Preliminary data suggest that 4 ENPPs and 16 receptors are expressed in the pronephros. We will then both miss- express and knock-down the expression of both enzymes and receptors alone and in combination to ask whether the availability of bioactive ligand signalling is important for development of the kidney. We will assess the ability of these compounds to alter development by analysis with both molecular and antibody markers of key stages of pronephros development. Finally we will attempt, by in silico studies, to identify kidney specific enhancer elements which will drive the early pronephric expressi on pattern.