Fig. 7.

Ectopic activation of Calcium/NFAT signalling partially rescues the Wnt4^−/− phenotype. A) Nephrogenesis is disturbed in Wnt4^−/− kidneys, as demonstrated by the absence of Laminin (red) marked aggregates in an E11.5 kidney grown in non-supplemented media for 72 h (green: Calbindin). B) The total number of renal aggregates (aggregates, renal vesicles, comma shaped bodies, s-shaped bodies) in wild type, Wnt4^+/− and Wnt4^−/− E11.5 kidney rudiments after 72 h culture in control or Ionomycin-supplemented medium. C) Number of UB branches and tips in control and Ionomycin-treated cultures. D–G) Immunofluorescense of control (D) or Ionomycin-treated (E–G) Wnt4-deficient kidney rudiments from the same embryo using Laminin (red, epithelialised nephrons) and Calbindin (green, UB) antibodies. H) Enlarged examples of the different stages of nephron formation found in Ionomycin-treated kidneys (not to scale). I) Quantification of different stages of renal aggregates.