The kidney develops from direct interactions between the ureteric bud and the metanephric mesenchyme. The ureteric bud gives rise to the collecting system and the metanephric mesenchyme to the nephrons. The complex process of renal development which occurs between these embryologically distinct structures is mediated by numerous factors, including the communication of cells with their surrounding extracellular matrix. Integrins are the principal cellular receptors for extracellular matrix proteins, and they play a role in organ and tissue development. In this review we focus on how integrins regulate renal development.