FIGURE 4.

Proposed Mechanism by which Claudins Regulate Branching Morphogenesis. Claudins are normally localized to tight junctions within the apical membrane where they may create a tensile force through their interaction with the actin cytoskeleton that maintains the shape of the ureteric bud lineage and its individual cells. In the presence of C‐CPE, specific C‐CPE‐sensitive claudins are removed from the apical membrane. We speculate that this results in a decrease in tensile force along the apical membrane that results in larger lumens within ureteric bud tips and less efficient branching such that there is a propensity to see more single and bifid ureteric bud tips in the presence of C‐CPE. The decision for greater arborization, for example, bifid versus trifid ureteric bud tips may be due to local effects on tensile force along the apical membrane that are regulated by the relative expression of claudins within ureteric bud cells