Extracellular matrix scaffolds as a platform for kidney regeneration

Chronic and end stage renal disease (ESRD) have reached pandemic levels and pose a substantial public health burden. Unfortunately, available therapies lack efficacy in preventing progression to its end stage phase. Regenerative medicine promises to restore function of diseased organs among which the kidney, through two possible approaches: firstly, the maximization of the innate ability of tissues to repair or regenerate following injury; secondly, the ex vivo bio-fabrication of the organ in question. When regenerative medicine is applied to the setting of chronic or ESRD, it is intuitive that endeavors to improve renal repair, promote nephrogenesis in damaged kidneys, or the de novo engineering of transplantable kidneys, could have a major impact on the current management of this pandemic. Among the different regenerative medicine technologies currently under development, cell-on-scaffold seeding technology (CSST) - involving cells seeded throughout supporting scaffold structures made from biomaterials - is the most favorable candidate in the context of realistic clinical application. In this review, we outline and describe current investigations taking place in the field of CSST as it pertains to the restoration of kidney function.