Figure 8. Cdc42 is necessary for Yap to be normally localized and active.

(A–B′″) Staining for Six2 and Yap shows reduce nuclear Yap staining in most of the Six2 positives cells (arrows) of Cdc42^CM−/− compared to wild-type at E12.5. Control (C–C′″) and Cre infected (D–D′″) Cdc42^flox/flox mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) stained with Yap antibody and doubly counterstained with phalloidin and Hoechst 33258. (E) Quantification from panels A–B′″ of Yap nuclear staining in CM and UB cells from controls (black columns) and Cdc42^CM−/− (white columns) kidneys at E12.5. Data represent mean fluorescence intensity per nucleus area (100 nuclei for each genotype - ***p<0.0001). (F–M) Expression of Cited1 (F), Capn6 (H), Traf1 (J), Meox2 (L) in control E14.5 kidneys, demonstrating expression in nephron progenitor cells. Cdc42 deletion results in loss of expression of these genes in CM cells (G, I, K, M), similar to what is seen in Yap^CM−/− mutant. (N,O) ISH reveals increase in levels of Fgf10 expression specifically in CM cells of mutant kidneys compared to wild-type controls. Scale bars represent 25 µm (A–B′″), 10 µm (C–D′″), 100 µm (F,G), 200 µm (H–O).