Transplantation of human iPSC-derived kidney organoids

Kidney disease can result from insufficient functional nephron mass. Current treatment options are limited to dialysis and allograft organ transplant, which have significant limitations and side effects. Regenerative medicine approaches in which damaged kidneys in patients are supplemented with new nephrons could be a useful therapeutic strategy. Recent discoveries have differentiated human pluripotent stem cells into nephron-like structures, called human kidney organoids, which contain segments of podocytes, proximal tubules, and distal tubules along a proximal-to-distal axis. When transplanted into mice, kidney organoids recruit vasculature from the host to form glomerulus-like structures, and show signs of partial maturation. However, there is still a lack of information regarding the safety, maturity, and functionality of human kidney organoids as regenerative therapeutics. These issues must be addressed prior to clinical application.