Fig 5. NPC maintenance depends on the developmental stage of non-UB cells.

Using Hoxb7-Venus mice, four different combinations of aggregates were reconstituted with respective UB and non-UB cells from E12.5 and E15.5 embryonic kidneys (A-H) or from P0 and P1 E12.5 aggregates (I-P). Representative aggregates after 7 days in culture are shown with Venus⁺-UB structures (green) and immune-stained Six2⁺-NPC (red). Abundant Six2+-NPC were seen in both aggregates with E12.5 (E, F) and P0 (M, N) non-UB cells, but not in aggregates with either E15.5 (G, H) or P1 (O, P) non-UB cells, indicating that NPC maintenance depends on the developmental stage of non-UB cells. On the other hand, more organized UB branching structures were seen in both aggregates with both E12.5 (A, D) and P0 (I, L) UB cells but not in aggregates with either E15.5 (B, C) or P1 (J, K) UB cells, indicating that the formation of organized UB branching structures depends on the developmental stage of UB cells. (Scale bar = 500 μm)