title: Organogenesis for kidney regeneration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The kidney has an elaborate and complicated structure comprising several cell types. Damage or destruction of the kidney thus necessitates reconstruction of all the component cell types to regenerate a functional three-dimensional renal structure. Therefore, despite all the recent advances in our understanding and technical approaches to stem cell and developmental biology, the anatomical complexity of the renal system makes de-novo kidney regeneration the most difficult challenge for organ regenerative therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  To build a transplantable neo-kidney, some investigators propose using organogenesis. We suggest the metanephros of the developing kidney and blastocyst complementation can potentially generate a whole kidney with the required three-dimensional structure and renal function to produce urine and erythropoietin. In addition, some researchers are investigating the in-vitro differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into mature renal cells for in-vivo use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We review the current challenges to making a transplantable neo-kidney using stem cells.
authors: Project Laboratory for Kidney Regeneration, Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of DNA Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Shinya
authors: S
authors: Yokote
authors: Takashi
authors: T
authors: Yokoo
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D057026:Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D007668:Kidney / Q000502:physiology*; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D038081:Organogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D012038:Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D044968:Regenerative Medicine; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*