The structural composition of organs undergoes significant transformations during organogenesis, laying the foundation for their eventual functional architecture. In contrast, adult organs maintain structural homeostasis. However, the dynamics of organ structure during the organogenesis and
homeostasis stages remain poorly understood. Here, we present a spatially
resolved transcriptome atlas at single-cell resolution to explore the establishment and maintenance of kidney structure in mice. Our analysis reveals
40 migration-related cell-cell communication events during kidney organogenesis. Contrary to the traditional two-layer model (cortex and medulla),
we demonstrate that the kidney develops a five-l... More
The structural composition of organs undergoes significant transformations during organogenesis, laying the foundation for their eventual functional architecture. In contrast, adult organs maintain structural homeostasis. However, the dynamics of organ structure during the organogenesis and
homeostasis stages remain poorly understood. Here, we present a spatially
resolved transcriptome atlas at single-cell resolution to explore the establishment and maintenance of kidney structure in mice. Our analysis reveals
40 migration-related cell-cell communication events during kidney organogenesis. Contrary to the traditional two-layer model (cortex and medulla),
we demonstrate that the kidney develops a five-layer structure over time.
Mechanistically, migration-related cell-cell communication drives this structural formation, with ephrin-A5 (Efna5) playing a key role in forming three
distinct layers within the medulla. The spatial distribution of specific cell
types and their gene expression patterns within these five layers likely enhances renal adaptation to hypoxic and hyperosmotic environments.
Furthermore, Frizzled 4 receptor (Fzd4) is critical for the morphogenesis
of the U-shaped loop of Henle (LoH). In the adult stage, when structural
homeostasis prevails, only three migration-related ligand-receptor pairs
are observed, and a stable four-layer structure is maintained due to the
absence of progenitor cells. Overall, our findings illustrate the role of intercellular communication in driving the transition from structural establishment during organogenesis to stable maintenance in homeostasis. These
insights provide new avenues for advancing organ regeneration strategies.
