Fig. 2

Mpped2 and casp9 knockdowns result in defective kidney development.

(A–E) Whole mount in situ hybridization in control embryos demonstrates normal expression of the global kidney marker pax2a (A: lateral view; B: dorsal view), the glomerular marker nephrin (C), and the tubular markers slc20a1a (proximal tubule, D), and slc12a3 (distal tubule, E) at 48 hours post fertilization (hpf). (F–J) Mpped2 morpholino (MO) knockdown embryos develop glomerular gene expression defects (F–H, arrowheads), but tubular marker expression is normal (I, J). (K–O) Casp9 MO knockdown embryos demonstrate reduced glomerular gene expression (K–M, arrowheads) and shortened distal tubules (O). (P) Quantification of observed abnormalities per number of embryos reveal significant differences in expression of pax2a and nephrin in response to knockdown of both mpped2 and casp9 (Fisher′s exact test). (Q–V) Embryos were injected with control, mpped2, or casp9 MO at the one-cell stage and subsequently injected with 70,000 MW fluorescent rhodamine dextran at 80 hpf. Dextran fluorescence was monitored over the next 48 hours. All dextran-injected embryos show equal loading into the cardiac sinus venosus at 2 hours post-injection (2 hpi/82 hpf; Q, S, U). Compared to control MO-injected embryos (R) and mpped2 knockdown embryos (T), knockdown of casp9 resulted in reduced dextran clearance at 48 hpi as shown by increased trunk fluorescence (V). (W) Casp9 knockdown results in increased susceptibility to edema formation both spontaneously (-dex) (P value = 0.0234, Fisher′s exact test) and after dextran challenge (+dex) (P value<0.0001). Embryos injected with both MO and dextran did not survive to 6 dpf (N/A). (X) Edema develops earlier and with higher frequency in casp9 morphants following injection of the nephrotoxin gentamicin.