Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 17, 2026
09:05
A Novel Clinical Grade Isolation Method for Human Kidney Perivascular Stromal Cells
Published on: August 7, 2017
Stem cells and kidney disease
Keiichi Hishikawa1, Toshiro Fujita
1Department of Clinical Renal Regeneration, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan. hishikawa-tky@umin.ac.jp
Summary
Kidney repair involves stem cells, but they primarily aid regeneration by releasing factors, not direct cell replacement. Future kidney disease treatments will focus on these regenerative functions.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Stem Cell Biology
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- The adult kidney possesses regenerative capacity following acute renal failure.
- Previous research suggested bone marrow-derived cells and intrinsic kidney stem cells contribute to renal repair.
- Specific kidney stem cell populations identified include slow-cycling cells, side population cells, CD133+ cells, and rKS56 cells.
Purpose of the Study:
- To re-evaluate the role of bone marrow-derived cells in renal repair.
- To clarify the mechanism by which stem cells contribute to kidney regeneration.
- To guide future strategies for clinical regenerative medicine in kidney disease.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent data on bone marrow-derived cell differentiation in vivo.
- Analysis of current understanding of stem cell contributions to tissue repair.
- Synthesis of findings to propose a shift in regenerative medicine focus.
Main Results:
- In vivo differentiation of bone marrow-derived cells into renal tubular cells is minimal or absent.
- Stem cells and multipotent cells primarily contribute to regeneration via secreted factors.
- Bone morphogenetic protein-7 and other regenerative factors are key mediators.
Conclusions:
- The paradigm for kidney regeneration is shifting from cell differentiation to paracrine signaling.
- Clinical applications in kidney disease should target the functional capabilities of stem cells, particularly factor production.
- Future regenerative medicine approaches will focus on harnessing stem cell-derived factors for kidney repair.
Related Concept Videos
01:17Stem Cell Culture
Stem cell research aims to find ways to use stem cells to regenerate and repair cellular damage. Over time, most adult cells undergo the wear and tear of aging and lose their ability to divide and repair themselves. Stem cells do not display a particular morphology or function. Adult stem cells, which exist as a small subset of cells in most tissues, keep dividing and can differentiate into a number of specialized cells generally formed by that tissue. These cells enable the body to renew and...
01:28Kidney Transplant I: Introduction
A kidney transplant is a surgical approach that involves replacing a non-functioning kidney with a healthy one from a donor. This procedure is often a treatment option for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. The method requires careful recipient selection, including evaluating various medical and psychosocial factors. These criteria vary between transplant centers but generally include assessments of the patient's overall health, adherence to medical recommendations, and lifestyle...
01:21Stem Cell Therapy for Tissue Regeneration
Stem cell therapy is a method used in regenerative medicine to repair and restore function to damaged tissues and organs. Stem cells have the potential to proliferate and differentiate into various tissue types, making them ideal candidates for tissue regeneration. For example, hematopoietic stem cell transplants are commonly used in blood cancer treatment to replenish damaged bone marrow and restore healthy blood cells.
Types of Stem Cells used in Stem Cell Therapy
The two main cell types that...
Types of Stem Cells used in Stem Cell Therapy
The two main cell types that...
01:21EPS and iPS Cells in Disease Research
Embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells are excellent models for disease research because of their ability to self-renew and differentiate into most cell types. Somatic cells from a patient are isolated and reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem cells or iPSCs. These iPSCs are later differentiated into the desired cell type, which mirrors the diseased cell of the patient. In this way, disease models have been created for investigating diseases such as Down syndrome, type I diabetes,...
01:22iPS Cell Differentiation
The ability of induced pluripotent stem cells or iPSCs to differentiate into most body cell types has stimulated repair and regenerative medicine research over the past few decades. iPSC-derived blood cells, hepatocytes, beta islet cells, cardiomyocytes, neurons, and other cell types can repair injuries or regenerate damaged tissue in diseases such as diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders.
00:58Embryonic Stem Cells
Embryonic stem (ES) cells are undifferentiated pluripotent cells, meaning they can produce any cell type in the body. This gives them tremendous potential in science and medicine since they can generate specific cell types for use in research or to replace body cells lost due to damage or disease.