Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 3, 2025
Optimization of Renal Organoid and Organotypic Culture for Vascularization, Extended Development, and Improved Microscopy Imaging
Published on: March 28, 2020
Imaging the Renal Microcirculation in Cell Therapy
Katerina Apelt1,2, Roel Bijkerk1,2, Franck Lebrin1,2,3
1Department of Internal Medicine-Nephrology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333ZA Leiden, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
Renal microvascular rarefaction plays a pivotal role in progressive kidney disease. Therefore, modalities to visualize the microcirculation of the kidney will increase our understanding of disease mechanisms and consequently may provide new approaches for evaluating cell-based therapy. At the moment, however, clinical practice is lacking non-invasive, safe, and efficient imaging modalities to monitor renal microvascular changes over time in patients suffering from renal disease. To emphasize the importance, we summarize current knowledge of the renal microcirculation and discussed the involvement in progressive kidney disease. Moreover, an overview of available imaging techniques to uncover renal microvascular morphology, function, and behavior is presented with the associated benefits and limitations. Ultimately, the necessity to assess and investigate renal disease based on in vivo readouts with a resolution up to capillary level may provide a paradigm shift for diagnosis and therapy in the field of nephrology.
Insights
Renal microvascular rarefaction is key in kidney disease progression. New imaging methods are needed to safely monitor these changes, potentially revolutionizing nephrology diagnosis and treatment.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Medical Imaging
- Vascular Biology
Background:
- Renal microvascular rarefaction is a critical factor in the progression of kidney disease.
- Current clinical practices lack effective non-invasive imaging to monitor renal microvascular changes over time.
- Understanding renal microcirculation is crucial for developing new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current understanding of renal microcirculation and its role in progressive kidney disease.
- To provide an overview of existing imaging techniques for assessing renal microvasculature.
- To highlight the need for advanced imaging modalities for improved nephrology care.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of renal microcirculation and kidney disease.
- Analysis of current imaging modalities for renal microvascular assessment.
- Discussion of benefits and limitations of existing techniques.
Main Results:
- Renal microvascular rarefaction significantly contributes to kidney disease.
- Existing imaging techniques have limitations in non-invasively monitoring renal microvasculature.
- There is a clear need for advanced in vivo imaging with capillary-level resolution.
Conclusions:
- Advanced imaging techniques are essential for understanding renal disease mechanisms.
- Developing non-invasive, safe, and efficient modalities is critical for clinical practice.
- In vivo imaging at capillary resolution could shift paradigms in nephrology diagnosis and therapy.
More Related Videos
06:29Microfluidic Co-culture of Renal Healthy and Tumor Epithelium to Model Kidney Cancer Progression
Published on: January 31, 2025
06:38A Syngeneic Mouse Model of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma for Quantitative and Longitudinal Assessment of Preclinical Therapies
Published on: April 12, 2017
