Troy/TNFRSF19 marks epithelial progenitor cells during mouse kidney development that continue to contribute to turnover in adult kidney

Significance Chronic kidney disease is a worldwide public health problem on the rise for which no curative treatments are available. Progressive kidney disease can be viewed as an imbalance between renal cell damage and repair. A better understanding of progenitor cells involved in kidney development and replacement of damaged cells in adult homeostasis may identify new therapeutic targets. Here, we describe Troy as a marker gene for epithelial progenitor cells. Lineage tracing shows that Troy + cells contribute to kidney development. Troy + cells have a high organoid-forming capacity, which is a stem cell characteristic. Tracing of Troy + cells in adult kidney shows that the cells contribute to kidney homeostasis, predominantly of the collecting duct, and regeneration.