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The kidneys are two large bean-shaped organs located in the upper abdomen. They filter the blood several times a day to remove toxins and rebalance water and electrolytes of the circulatory system via the renal veins. The kidneys receive blood directly from the heart via the renal arteries. These arteries enter the kidney at the hilum, the concave surface of the bean, where they branch and divide into smaller vessels and capillaries.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 14, 2026

Epithelial Cell Repopulation and Preparation of Rodent Extracellular Matrix Scaffolds for Renal Tissue Development

Epithelial Cell Repopulation and Preparation of Rodent Extracellular Matrix Scaffolds for Renal Tissue Development

Published on: August 10, 2015

Organogenesis for kidney regeneration.

Shinya Yokote¹, Takashi Yokoo

¹Project Laboratory for Kidney Regeneration, Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of DNA Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

Current Opinion in Organ Transplantation

|February 22, 2013

Summary

Regenerating a functional kidney is challenging due to its complex structure. Current research explores organogenesis and stem cell differentiation for creating transplantable neo-kidneys.

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Generating Kidney Organoids in Suspension from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Generating Kidney Organoids in Suspension from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Published on: September 1, 2023

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Last Updated: May 14, 2026

Epithelial Cell Repopulation and Preparation of Rodent Extracellular Matrix Scaffolds for Renal Tissue Development

Epithelial Cell Repopulation and Preparation of Rodent Extracellular Matrix Scaffolds for Renal Tissue Development

Published on: August 10, 2015

Generating Kidney Organoids in Suspension from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Generating Kidney Organoids in Suspension from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Published on: September 1, 2023

Area of Science:

Nephrology
Regenerative Medicine
Developmental Biology

Background:

The kidney's intricate structure, composed of diverse cell types, presents a significant challenge for regeneration after damage.
Reconstructing a functional three-dimensional renal structure requires regenerating all constituent cell types.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the current challenges in creating a transplantable neo-kidney using stem cells.
To explore potential strategies for de-novo kidney regeneration.

Main Methods:

Investigating organogenesis approaches for neo-kidney development.
Utilizing blastocyst complementation with metanephros for whole kidney generation.
Exploring in-vitro differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into mature renal cells.

Main Results:

The metanephros and blastocyst complementation show potential for generating a three-dimensional kidney with urine production and erythropoietin secretion.
In-vitro differentiation of stem cells is being explored for in-vivo applications.

Conclusions:

De-novo kidney regeneration remains a difficult challenge in organ regenerative therapy.
Despite advances, creating a functional, transplantable neo-kidney requires overcoming significant anatomical and biological hurdles.