The major emphasis of this work involves the delineation of a heparin- binding protein, diamorphin, in pituitary extract that induces tubulogenesis of rat metanephrogenic mesenchyme and characterization of a potent mitogen from rat renal mesenchymal tumors that stimulates the growth and branching morphogenesis of the ureteric bud. Additionally, known effectors of epithelial-mesenchymal interactions, e.g., WT1, met, hepatocyte growth factor, and epimorphin, are currently being evaluated for their involvement in renal development or tumorigenesis.
