Introduction: The kidney develops from two mesodermal primordia. Aquaporin 1 (AQP1) is a membrane protein characteristic to epithelial and endothelial cell of the human body. The Pax family of genes encodes transcription factors with important role in intrauterine development. Connexins are transmembrane proteins found in gap junctions. We monitored the changes in the expression of AQP1, paired box gene 2 (PAX2), paired box gene 8 (PAX8), connexin 36 (Cx36) and connexin 43 (Cx43) proteins in fetal renal tissue.
Materials and methods: We studied 34 post mortem fetuses of 9 to 24 weeks from the Laboratory of Pathology, Emergency County Hospital of Târgu Mureş, Romania, using immunohistochemistry.
Results: AQP1 expression appeared in the apical and basolateral parts of cells, lining the proximal convoluted tubules and the descending limb of Henle's loop, then in the tubule pole of Bowman's capsule also. Nuclear expression of PAX2 was observed in structures developed both from the ureteric bud and the metanephric mesenchyme, and of PAX8 was observed in the proximal convoluted tubule's epithelium, Henle's loop, and collecting ducts. Cytoplasmic expression of Cx36 was localized to nephrons in different developmental stages, glomerular vessels and collecting ducts, and of Cx43 was localized to the endothelium of glomerular and peritubular vessels, as well as to the epithelium of the proximal tubules.
Discussions and conclusions: Nephrogenesis begins in the embryonic period, and continues into the fetal period as well. It is regulated by a wide array of markers. The current study supplements literature data regarding immunoexpression of these markers during renal development in the fetal period.