Fig. 1

Wnt11 is expressed in the cells of the cortical, medullary and papilla tubules, including the Bellini ducts of the terminal papilla. Kidneys from NB (a–d) and adult (e–m) mice were prepared and sectioned for in situ hybridization (a–d inserts, h, i, l) or immunohistochemistry (a–d large images, e–g, j, k, m). Counterstaining was performed with haematoxylin (a–d large images, e–g, j, k, m). a–d In the NB kidney, Wnt11 is expressed in the maturing proximal tubules (PT) (a, red arrows), the more mature proximal tubules (b and insert, red arrows), the collecting duct (CD) tubules (c and insert, black arrows) and sporadically in the terminal papillary tubules (d and insert, black arrows). e–g Wnt11-positive cells in the cortical (e) and medullary (f, g) areas of the adult kidney. Expression is sporadic in the proximal tubule cells (e, f, red arrows) and more intense in the collecting duct cells (e–g, black arrows). h–m) The Wnt11 gene and protein detected in the papilla of the adult mouse kidney is located in the papillary duct tubular cells (i, j, k, arrows) and Bellini ducts cells (l, m, arrows). Wnt11 is not expressed in the glomerular tuft (a, e, areas circled by red dotted line). Bars: a–g and i–m, 50 μm; h, 500 μm