Expanding nephron progenitors in vitro: a step toward regenerative medicine in nephrology

With recent success in directed differentiation of nephron progenitors from mouse embryonic stem cells or human-induced pluripotent stem cells, the ability to expand these nephron progenitors is an important step toward regenerative medicine in nephrology. A recent publication reports the first successful attempt to propagate human nephron progenitors while retaining their potential to form both glomeruli and renal tubules.