20 Nov Kidney Organoids Derived from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Model Polycystic Disease
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Ryuji Morizane
Dr. Ryuji Morizane MD, PhD
Associate Biologist, Renal Division
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Affiliated Faculty, Harvard Stem Cell Institute
Instructor, Harvard Medical School
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) accounts for 10% of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), and there is currently no curable treatment available for patients with PKD.
The adult onset form of PKD, the most common type of PKD, takes 30 years to form cysts in humans; therefore, it is difficult to study mechanisms of PKD to find novel therapeutics for patients.
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings?
Response: Last year, we developed a novel tool, a kidney organoid to study kidney diseases in culture plates. The kidney organoid is a 3-dimensional kidney tissue converted from human skin cells. This time, we have generated kidney organoids from patients with Polycystic kidney disease. The kidney organoids generated from PKD patients exhibited severe cyst formation with clinically relevant characteristics in 4 weeks of experiments.
MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?
Response: These results are encouraging, as they indicate that the kidney organoid can be used to study PKD in a realistic time course of experiments to elucidate mechanisms of the disease and to find novel therapeutics in the future.
MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Response: These results indicated that the kidney organoid can be used as a novel tool to study PKD. We recommend that mechanisms of cyst formation in the kidney organoid continue to be investigated ultimately to find new therapeutic approaches for patients with PKD.
MedicalResearch.com: Thank you for your contribution to the MedicalResearch.com community.
Citation:
November 2016ASN Abstract 2139
Kidney Organoids Derived from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Contain Multiple Kidney Compartments and Model Polycystic Kidney Disease
Note: Content is Not intended as medical advice. Please consult your health care provider regarding your specific medical condition and questions.
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Last Updated on November 20, 2016 by Marie Benz MD FAAD