Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital have succeeded in growing bioengineered kidneys in the lab and implanting them into rats. To create the functioning organs, they began by using a detergent solution to strip rat kidneys of their existing cells. This resulted in a collagen scaffold, where a variety of cell types were delicately introduced to … Continue reading Scientists Bioengineer Functioning Rat Kidneys
Protein in Urine Linked to Life Expectancy
In a study of lab results from 810,000 Canadian men and women, researchers from University of Calgary have found that higher levels of protein in the urine are associated with reduced life expectancy. The scientists determined that men aged 40 without proteinuria would outlive those with heavy proteinuria by 15.2 years and those with mild … Continue reading Protein in Urine Linked to Life Expectancy
Smoking and Secondhand Smoke May Affect Teen Kidney Function
A new study from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Johns Hopkins Children’s Center researchers reveals that smoking and secondhand smoke could harm kidney function in adolescents. The scientists measured blood levels of creatinine, a waste product in the body, and cotinine, a chemical found in tobacco, in a group of 7,516 American … Continue reading Smoking and Secondhand Smoke May Affect Teen Kidney Function
Being Overweight in Early Adulthood Linked to Kidney Disease
In a retrospective study, researchers in the UK have made a direct link between being overweight in early adulthood and the risk of developing chronic kidney disease later in life. Tracking body mass index and other data from subjects at different stages in their lives, they found that individuals who were overweight at ages 26 … Continue reading Being Overweight in Early Adulthood Linked to Kidney Disease