kidney development Flashcards
(28 cards)
What is the embryological origin of the kidneys?
The kidneys develop from the intermediate mesoderm.
What are the three successive kidney systems in embryological development?
Pronephros
Which kidney system is functional in humans?
The metanephros is the functional definitive kidney in humans.
When does the metanephros begin to develop?
Around the 5th week of gestation.
What two structures interact to form the metanephros?
The ureteric bud and the metanephric mesenchyme.
What does the ureteric bud give rise to?
The collecting ducts
What does the metanephric mesenchyme form?
The nephrons (glomeruli
What signaling molecule induces ureteric bud outgrowth?
GDNF (Glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor) secreted by the metanephric mesenchyme.
What congenital anomaly results from failed ureteric bud formation?
Renal agenesis (absence of a kidney).
What is a “horseshoe kidney” and how does it occur?
Fusion of the lower poles of the kidneys due to abnormal migration
What is Potter sequence and how is it related to kidney development?
A condition caused by oligohydramnios (low amniotic fluid) due to bilateral renal agenesis
Which genes are critical for kidney development?
WT1 (Wilms’ tumor suppressor)
What is the fate of the pronephros?
It degenerates by the 4th week and is non-functional in humans.
What does the mesonephros form in males?
The mesonephric (Wolffian) duct contributes to male reproductive structures (epididymis
What is the role of the cloaca in kidney development?
It receives the mesonephric ducts and later divides into the urogenital sinus and rectum.
What congenital condition involves cysts in the fetal kidneys?
Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD)
How does the kidney ascend during development?
The metanephros initially forms in the pelvis and ascends to the lumbar region due to body growth.
What is a common cause of duplex kidney?
Early splitting of the ureteric bud
What is renal ectopia?
Abnormal kidney position (e.g.
What is the role of the allantois in urinary development?
It forms the urachus
What is the first stage of kidney development in embryogenesis?
Formation of the pronephros (transient
What follows the pronephros in kidney development?
The mesonephros (week 4-8)
What is the final and functional kidney system in embryos?
The metanephros (definitive kidney)
What two structures initiate metanephros formation?
- Ureteric bud (outgrowth of mesonephric duct)
