Differenzierung und Regeneration von Nierenepithelien
The kidney is a central organ in cardiovascular diseases. It excretes toxins into the urine, regulates volume and solute homeostasis in the body, and produces hormones. The kidney is not only itself a target in cardiovascular disease and but also is centrally involved in cardiovascular homeostasis. Moreover, kidney failure constitutes one of the most important risk factors for other cardiovascular diseases. The kidney is composed of structural units called nephrons, which consist of several different types of renal epithelial cells that facilitate directional transport. Our group studies the molecular mechanisms of nephron morphogenesis and the maintenance of epithelial integrity later in life. We focus on transcription factors and their regulation of aspects of epithelial differentiation. We employ a wide methodological spectrum including genetic model organisms, systems biology, and state of the art techniques in molecular and cell biology.