Disease relevance of wt1-A

• The Wilms' tumor suppressor gene (WT1) is required for the formation of the mammalian metanephros, or adult kidney, and for the normal development of the mesonephros, the major mammalian embryonic kidney [1].

High impact information on wt1-A

• In addition, elevated Notch signaling in the pronephric anlage both perturbed the characteristic pattern of the differentiated tubule network and increased the expression of early markers of pronephric precursor cells, Pax-2 and Wilms' tumor suppressor gene (Wt-1) [2].
• The WT1 gene is therefore expressed in a similar temporal and spatial pattern in the vascularized portion of the amphibian pronephroi and in the mammalian metanephroi, arguing that it probably plays a similar crucial role in the morphogenesis of these very different kidney forms [1].

References