May 5, 2024

Complex Three-Dimensional Kidney Tissue Created in the Lab From Scratch

By focusing on an often-overlooked tissue type of organoid generation research, a type of organ tissue made up of different support and connective tissues called the stroma, Dr. Ryuichi Nishinakamura and his group were able to create the last of a three-part puzzle that they had actually been working on for several years. The researchers believe that their work will be utilized to advance kidney research study and even lead to a transplantable organ in the future.
If this last part can likewise be created from human cells, a similarly complex human kidney must be achievable.

Scientists in Japan have actually created a kidney-like 3D tissue, consisting of extensively branched tubules, from cultured mouse embryonic stem cells. Credit: Dr. Shunsuke Tanigawa
A research study group based in Kumamoto University (Japan) has developed complex 3D kidney tissue in the laboratory solely from cultured mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells. These organoids might lead the method to much better kidney research study and, ultimately, artificial kidneys for human transplant.
By concentrating on an often-overlooked tissue kind of organoid generation research, a kind of organ tissue comprised of numerous support and connective tissues called the stroma, Dr. Ryuichi Nishinakamura and his group were able to produce the last of a three-part puzzle that they had been dealing with for several years. Once the 3 pieces were integrated, the resulting structure was found to be kidney-like in its architecture. The scientists think that their work will be used to advance kidney research study and even cause a transplantable organ in the future.
Scientists in Japan have generated a kidney-like 3D tissue, consisting of numerous types of kidney-specific structures, from cultured mouse embryonic stem cells. Credit: Dr. Shunsuke Tanigawa
Because it acts as a filter to extract waste and excess water from blood, the kidney is a very important organ for ongoing great health. It is an intricate organ that establishes from the mix of 3 elements. Protocols have already been established by various research teams, consisting of Dr. Nishinakamuras team at the Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics (IMEG) at Kumamoto University, to induce two of the parts (the nephron progenitor and the ureteric bud) from mouse ES cells.

In this, their newest work, the IMEG team has actually established a technique to induce the final and 3rd component, kidney-specific stromal progenitor, in mice. By integrating these 3 elements in vitro, the scientists were able to produce a kidney-like 3D tissue, consisting of extensively branched tubules and several other kidney-specific structures.
The scientists think that this is the first ever report on the in-lab generation of such a complicated kidney structure from scratch. The IMEG group has already succeeded in causing the first 2 components from human iPS cells. A similarly complicated human kidney should be achievable if this last element can also be generated from human cells.
” We are now working very hard to generate a completely practical human kidney,” stated Dr. Nishinakamura. “We intend to utilize our developments to screen drugs for different diseases, and for transplant in the long run.”
Recommendation: “Generation of the organotypic kidney structure by integrating pluripotent stem cell-derived kidney stroma” 1 February 2022, Nature Communications.DOI: 10.1038/ s41467-022-28226-7.