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Kidney Stem Cell Breakthrough Provides Tool for Further Research

Australian researchers have discovered how to turn specialized human kidney cells back into generalized cells known as induced pluripotent stem cells or iPS cells. This type of cell reprogramming is a useful tool for studying genetic kidney diseases.  The scientists hope to generate iPS cells from patients with Polycystic Kidney Disease and Alport syndrome; the … Continue reading Kidney Stem Cell Breakthrough Provides Tool for Further Research

New Understanding of Kidney Gene Changes in Diabetic Nephropathy

Researchers at the University of Louisville have used a mouse model to show how human kidney genes change as diabetic nephropathy progresses. By studying gene expression, they discovered that inflammatory genes underwent the most changes. Paul Epstein, Ph.D., acting director of the Kosair Children’s Hospital Research Institute said, “In future studies, we can use this … Continue reading New Understanding of Kidney Gene Changes in Diabetic Nephropathy

Cell Therapy May Eliminate Need for Transplant Drugs

Scientists from the University of Oxford, University College London, and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden have discovered a way to manipulate and grow regulatory T cells that will stop organ rejection in mice. The technique involves extracting T cells from the subject as well as cells from the donor organ and culturing them in a … Continue reading Cell Therapy May Eliminate Need for Transplant Drugs

UCSB Researchers Discover Drug Target for PKD

Researchers at UC Santa Barbara have discovered that the same molecular mechanism that causes cancer cells to multiply also causes cysts to grow in patients with ADPKD, the most common form of Polycystic Kidney Disease. They found that the transcription factor STAT3 is activated by a mutated protein present in ADPKD patients. UCSB researchers are … Continue reading UCSB Researchers Discover Drug Target for PKD

Scientists Discover Role of PVT1 Gene in Diabetic Kidney Disease

Researchers at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) in Phoenix, Arizona are shedding new light on the role of the PVT1 gene in reducing kidney filtration and causing diabetic kidney disease. They discovered that high blood sugar increases the rate of PVT1 gene expression, unleashing proteins associated with damage to the mesangial cells of the … Continue reading Scientists Discover Role of PVT1 Gene in Diabetic Kidney Disease

Research Breakthrough – Kidneys Grown in Lab in Scotland

Scottish researchers at the University of Edinburgh have managed to grow tiny kidneys measuring just 0.2 inches long. Their breakthrough represents a giant leap forward in the future treatment of kidney disease. The organs, created in the lab using stem cells from human amniotic fluid and animal fetal cells, are of the same size and … Continue reading Research Breakthrough – Kidneys Grown in Lab in Scotland