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Updated: May 8, 2026
Generating Kidney Organoids in Suspension from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Published on: September 1, 2023
Recreating kidney progenitors from pluripotent cells
Minoru Takasato1, Barbara Maier, Melissa H Little
1Division of Molecular Genetics and Development, Institute for Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
Abstract:
Access to human pluripotent cells theoretically provides a renewable source of cells that can give rise to any required cell type for use in cellular therapy or bioengineering. However, successfully directing this differentiation remains challenging for most desired endpoints cell type, including renal cells. This challenge is compounded by the difficulty in identifying the required cell type in vitro and the multitude of renal cell types required to build a kidney. Here we review our understanding of how the embryo goes about specifying the cells of the kidney and the progress to date in adapting this knowledge for the recreation of nephron progenitors and their mature derivatives from pluripotent cells.
Insights
Generating kidney cells from human pluripotent cells is difficult but essential for regenerative medicine. This review explores embryonic kidney development to guide the creation of kidney cells from pluripotent stem cells.
Area of Science:
- Regenerative Medicine
- Developmental Biology
- Stem Cell Biology
Background:
- Human pluripotent cells offer a potential source for cell therapies and bioengineering.
- Directing differentiation of pluripotent cells into specific cell types, like renal cells, remains a significant challenge.
- Recreating the kidney requires generating multiple distinct renal cell types, complicating in vitro efforts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the embryonic development of kidney cells.
- To assess progress in generating nephron progenitors and mature renal derivatives from pluripotent cells.
- To bridge developmental biology insights with stem cell applications for kidney regeneration.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on embryonic kidney development.
- Analysis of studies on directed differentiation of pluripotent stem cells towards renal lineages.
- Synthesis of knowledge regarding cell specification and differentiation pathways.
Main Results:
- Understanding embryonic kidney specification provides a roadmap for directed differentiation.
- Progress has been made in generating nephron progenitors and some mature renal derivatives.
- Challenges persist in replicating the full complexity of kidney cell types and structures.
Conclusions:
- Embryonic kidney development provides crucial insights for stem cell-based kidney bioengineering.
- Further research is needed to overcome challenges in generating diverse renal cell types from pluripotent sources.
- Translating developmental knowledge holds promise for future cellular therapies for kidney disease.
