title: Biologic modulation in renal regeneration.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is recognized as a health care problem of increasing importance. Following the discovery of renal progenitors, the investigation of new therapeutic approaches to promote the kidney regenerative capacity has received increasing research attention.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors discuss the current knowledge of glomerular regeneration by renal progenitors and the modulation of their behavior through chemical and biological agents. The regenerative capacity of renal progenitors after injury must be regulated in order to prevent an inefficient or excessive response that could lead to a failed attempt to replace lost podocytes. In addition, they discuss the most relevant pathways involved in tubular repair and how these could be modulated in order to obtain renal regeneration rather than progression of a fibrotic maladaptive response.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Modulation of the endogenous renal regenerative capacity is a new approach in the treatment of kidney diseases. Research efforts that concentrate on the potential regenerative capacity of the kidney can be advantageous when the experimental results are translated into clinical practice and may open the way to new therapeutic strategies for CKD.
authors.affiliation: a Nephrology Unit , Meyer Children's University Hospital , Florence , Italy.
authors.forename: Benedetta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mazzinghi
authors.affiliation: a Nephrology Unit , Meyer Children's University Hospital , Florence , Italy.|b Department of Clinical and Experimental Biomedical Sciences , University of Florence , Florence , Italy.|c Excellence Centre for Research, Transfer and High Education for the development of DE NOVO Therapies (DENOTHE) , University of Florence , Florence , Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Romagnani
authors.affiliation: c Excellence Centre for Research, Transfer and High Education for the development of DE NOVO Therapies (DENOTHE) , University of Florence , Florence , Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lazzeri
keywords: AKI; CKD; Chronic renal failure; glomerulus; progression; tubule