Journal article

Directing human embryonic stem cell differentiation towards a renal lineage generates a self-organizing kidney

M Takasato, PX Er, M Becroft, JM Vanslambrouck, EG Stanley, AG Elefanty, MH Little

NATURE CELL BIOLOGY | NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP | Published : 2014

Abstract

With the prevalence of end-stage renal disease rising 8% per annum globally, there is an urgent need for renal regenerative strategies. The kidney is a mesodermal organ that differentiates from the intermediate mesoderm (IM) through the formation of a ureteric bud (UB) and the interaction between this bud and the adjacent IM-derived metanephric mesenchyme (MM). The nephrons arise from a nephron progenitor population derived from the MM (ref. ). The IM itself is derived from the posterior primitive streak. Although the developmental origin of the kidney is well understood, nephron formation in the human kidney is completed before birth. Hence, there is no postnatal stem cell able to replace l..

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Grants

Awarded by Australian Research Council of the Stem Cells Australia Strategic Research Initiative


Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia


Funding Acknowledgements

We are grateful to E. Wolvetang for providing an iPSC line and D. Titmarsh, A. Hidalgo-Gonzalez and J. Cooper-White for supportive comments. This work was supported by the Queensland State Government through a National/International Research Alliance Project, the Australian Research Council as part of the Stem Cells Australia Strategic Research Initiative (SRI110001002) and the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (APP1041277). M.H.L. is a Senior Principal Research Fellow of the NHMRC.