Lineage specification of parietal epithelial cells requires β-catenin/Wnt signaling.

β-Catenin/Wnt signaling is essential during early inductive stages of kidney development, but its role during postinductive stages of nephron development and maturation is not well understood. In this study, we used Pax8Cre mice to target β-catenin deficiency to renal epithelial cells at the late S-shaped body stage and the developing collecting ducts. The conditional β-catenin knockout mice formed abnormal kidneys and had reduced renal function.