Human kidney progenitors isolated, offering new clues to cell renewal
A key unit of the kidney, the nephron is a tiny structure that filters waste. In humans, about 500,000 to 1,000,000 nephrons are generated before week 34 to 36 of fetal gestation, a point at which NP cells are fully depleted and nephrogenesis ceases. The loss of a sufficient number of nephrons at any time after this period, leads to irreversible kidney failure, as no further cell repair or regeneration can occur. Previously, nephron progenitors have primarily been studied in animal models or through the use of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPCs). The CHLA scientists utilized an efficient protocol for direct isolation of human NP using RNA-labeling probes to obtain NP-expressing SIX2 and CITED1 -- the master genes regulating renal development. "In addition to defining the genetic profile of human NP, this system will facilitate studies of human kidney development, providing a novel tool for renal regeneration and bioengineering purposes," says principal investigator L...