In vitro induction of nephrogenesis in mouse metanephric mesenchyme with lithium introduction and ureteric bud recombination.

The organ culture setup of embryonic kidney has served as a model of nephrogenesis for several decades. In vitro culture of the mouse metanephric mesenchyme enables easy manipulation and analysis of the tissue and provides information of cellular interactions, morphogenesis, cell differentiation, and molecular biology of the developmental process. The advantages of the tissue culture method include enhanced representativeness of situation in living organism compared to cell culture assays and less demanding and time-consuming possibilities to experimental work compared with in vivo research.