Cell Sheet Engineering and Kidney Diseases

Treatment using the cell sheet technology has been applied to various organs, including the cornea, heart, esophagus, periodontium, cartilage, middle ear, and lungs. It has been shown that the therapeutic efficacy of cell sheet transplantation involves 2 aspects, supplementation of cells and provision of cytokines to the affected organ. In addition, cell sheet transplantation also promotes repair of damage through the paracrine effects of cytokines derived from the transplanted cells. It is known that in cases of cell transplantation by injection, the transplanted cells are less likely to differentiate into renal tissue to supply cells, but repair is promoted by the actions of the transplanted cell-derived renotropic factors. Renal function requires functional conjugation of various tissues, including blood vessels, glomeruli, renal tubules, and collecting ducts. It is difficult to supply the necessary cells directly to the affected site of the renal tissue composed of complex structures. On the contrary, the 2-dimensional cell sheet can produce proteins such as erythropoietin, and is thus suitable for transplantation into the living body. It would be desirable to develop cell sheet therapy for the suppression of kidney damage in the future, taking advantage of the beneficial characteristics of cell sheets.