Editorial

End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) is common. Transplantation is the only curative treatment [1]. However, waiting times have increased. To create a bioengineered kidney a scaffold is needed with cell attachment. Native and cadaveric kidneys could be used. Decellularization of kidneys is performed by using detergent perfusion. Vascular, glomerular, and tubular components will stay intact. Decellularization leads to loss of Cell-Mediated functions. Scaffolds are repopulated with endothelial and epithelial cells. These cells come from human umbilical venous endothelial cells and rat neonatal kidney cells through the ureter. Studies showed that the renal papilla is a niche for adult kidney stem cells and is involved in organ maintenance and repair after injury [2]. Allogeneic transplantation is effected by donor shortage; surgical morbidity and the need for immunosuppression [3].

Sheep kidneys comprise a suitable source [4]. These can be seeded with human cells, and then used. Rhesus monkey kidney could also be used [5]. Since the kidney is derived from the ureteric bud and the metanephrogenic mesenchyme [6], single metanephric mesenchymal cell can generate all the epithelial cells of the nephron (except the collecting duct), Renal stem cells are not suitable for whole kidney regeneration. Quite the opposite, mesenchymal stem cells are accessible, e.g from adipose tissue and they do not need technical handling [7]. Internationally the donor organs meet about one-fifth of the need. Regenerative medicine is a potential option [8]. We are looking forward to the availability in the near future of kidneys and other organs as they become on demand. We are expecting shorter waiting lists and unnecessary immunosuppression. 

1.       Jeremy J Song, Jacques P Guyette, Sarah E Gilpin, Gabriel Gonzalez, Joseph P Vacanti, et al. (2013) Regeneration and Experimental Orthotopic Transplantation of a Bioengineered Kidney. Nat Med 9: 646-651.

2.       Juan A. Oliver, Omar Maarouf, Faisal H. Cheema, Timothy P. Martens, Qais Al-Awqati1 (2004) The renal papilla is a niche for adult kidney stem cells. The Journal of Clinical Investigation 114: 795.

3.       Salvatori M, Peloso A, Katari R, Orlando G (2014) Regeneration and Bioengineering of the Kidney: Current Status and Future Challenges. Curr Urol Rep 15: 379.

4.       Marek Karczewski and TomaszMalkiewicz (2015) Scaffolds from Surgically Removed Kidneys as a Potential Source of Organ Transplantation. Hindawi Publishing Corporation BioMed Research International 2015: 8.

5.       Nakayama KH, Batchelder CA, Lee CI, Tarantal AF (2010) Decellularized Rhesus Monkey Kidney as a Three-Dimensional Scaffold for Renal Tissue Engineering. Tissue Eng Part A 16: 2207-2216.

6.       Qais al-awqati and juan a Oliver (2002) Perspectives In Basic Science Stem cells in the kidney, Kidney International 61: 387-395.

7.       Shinya Yokote, Shuichiro Yamanaka, Takashi Yokoo (2012) De Novo Kidney Regeneration with Stem Cells Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology 2012: 10.

8.       Sullivan DC, Mirmalek-Sani SH, Deegan DB, Baptista PM, Aboushwareb T, et al. (2012) Decellularization methods of porcine kidneys for whole organ engineering using a high-throughput system. Biomaterials 33: 7756-7764.