# Novel Mechanism of Nephron Epithelialization

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR HOUSTON · 2021 · $78,000

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ ABSTRACT: NOVEL MECHANISM OF NEPHRON EPITHELIALIZATION
 (from original R01 proposal)
Although congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) are the predominant birth defects
diagnosed in the prenatal period and are the most common cause of pediatric end stage renal disease, only
13% of cases have a known monogenic cause. CAKUT results in defects in the formation of nephrons, which
are required for the function of the kidney. Thus, the overall goal this research is to understand how nephron
progenitor cells form cell junctions to facilitate tubule epithelialization and morphogenesis. Prior work
demonstrates that Daam1, a Wnt/ planar cell polarity effector, and Tuba (Dnmbp) are required for nephron
morphogenesis, and unpublished data indicate that they are required for cell junction formation during
epithelialization. Thus, the goal of this proposal is to determine how they facilitate cell junction formation in the
nephron progenitor cells. The proposed experiments will test the hypothesis that Daam1 and Tuba enable the
formation of stable cell junctions during epithelialization and subsequent morphogenesis of the developing
nephrons. The hypothesis will be tested through the following aims: Aim 1. Assess the role of Daam1 in the
establishment of cell junctions underlying nephric tubulogenesis. The hypothesis that Daam1-mediated actin
polymerization regulates the formation of cadherin-mediated contacts that facilitate epithelialization of nephric
tubules will be tested. Completion of this aim will provide insight into the previously unrecognized role of
Daam1 in nephron epithelialization. Aim 2. Define the role of Tuba in cell junction formation during
nephrogenesis. The proposed experiments will test the hypothesis that Tuba is required for epithelial junction
formation in the developing nephron. Completion of this aim will uncover whether Tuba facilitates junction
formation in epithelializing nephrons. Overall, the experiments proposed in this application will facilitate a new
understanding of the cell biological mechanisms contributing to epithelialization and morphogenesis of nephric
tubules.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10253477
- **Project number:** 3R01DK115655-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR HOUSTON
- **Principal Investigator:** Rachel Katherine Miller
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $78,000
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2019-04-01 → 2023-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10253477

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10253477, Novel Mechanism of Nephron Epithelialization (3R01DK115655-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10253477. Licensed CC0.

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