The kidneys are not as romantic as the heart, and they are not as high as the brain, but these organs, the size of a human fist, play a very important role.
The kidneys are responsible for filtering waste and removing excess fluid from the body. If something is wrong with them, abdominal pain appears.
Now it has become possible to grow a new bud, while still small. This breakthrough in bioengineering became known thanks to an article published in the journal Nature, which says that it is a big step forward in regenerative medicine.
One of the authors of the article is Melissa Little, professor and head of the kidney research laboratory at the Murdoch Pediatric Research Institute (Australia). She has been studying the process of kidney formation for 25 years to find the causes and treatment for diseases caused by gene mutations.
“We can use this mini-kidney model to track changes and reactions in the body to various drugs,” the biologist said.
A silent killer
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Chronic kidney disease is becoming a growing health problem. According to Kidney Health Australia, one in every three people in Australia is at risk of developing kidney disease. However, symptoms are often so subtle that the disease can appear suddenly.
Even before symptoms such as fatigue, swelling, changes in urine, nausea and blood pressure are detected, many people may experience kidney failure by 90%.
The video shows the internal structure of a mini-kidney
For example, in Australia, kidney disease programs cost residents $ 1 million a year. Primary healthcare organizations advocate early diagnosis, but this requires that the person be examined by their therapist.
A general population survey is expensive and is mainly targeted at risk groups or is offered individually.
What happens if kidney disease goes unrecognized? You will have to turn to dialysis - a person, sitting in a chair or lying on a couch, waits for 4 hours until his blood is cleansed and all toxic components and substances are removed from the body.
For many, this is one of the outstanding success stories of modern medicine. For others, it is uncomfortable, boring, and in some cases even life threatening. This method can also increase the burden on hospitals, since about 22 thousand people are treated in this way a year.
A kidney transplant is another solution to the problem, but the number of donors in Australia is very limited - 16 volunteers for every million people. Over the past year, 905 kidney transplants have been performed. But before each operation, the patient is forced to wait for the donor organ for three to seven years.
Among other things, it is necessary to check how the organ is suitable for the type of blood and tissue structure. Tests like these are done to make sure that the antibodies will not attack the donor kidney.
Growing buds
Carol Pollock, a professor at the University of Sydney and also a medical adviser at Kidney Health Australia, said the structural features of the kidney can make it difficult to grow.
“This is a very complex organ,” says the professor. - To take stem cells for a sample, you need to do this procedure more than 20 times, since the kidney has more than 20 different types of cells and functions. This process is much more difficult with the kidney than with the heart, which has only one function."
Image of a mini-kidney formed from human induced pluripotent stem cells. Photo: Minoru Takasato
Previous experiments with growing stem cells in organs have yielded several types of cells needed, but not all. This latest development uses human stem cells, so a more complex organ has been created.
The process of obtaining 20 buds smaller than a thumbnail takes three weeks. At this time, 10 to 12 parts of the cells inside are reorganized into a structure with tubes, blood vessels and cells in between.
Professor Little suggested that cells move on their own there: “It's like a room full of friends. They react to what is happening around and form a structure. We cannot yet create a full-fledged kidney suitable for an adult, but the fact that we have discovered the potential for the use of stem cells in bioengineering says a lot."
“Suppose you are not diagnosed with kidney disease at an early stage. Studies have shown that this disease is also not hereditary. We can take a sample of your skin and create a new kidney,”added the professor.
Currently, samples of these mini-kidneys can be used for drug testing and disease progression studies. This is one small step for humanity, but a huge leap forward in regenerative medicine.