Biomaterial Database

Differentiation of human kidney organoids from pluripotent stem cells. 2019

Nelly M Cruz, and Benjamin S Freedman

Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, United States; Kidney Research Institute, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, United States; Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, United States; Department of Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, United States.

It is now possible to direct the differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into three-dimensional nephron-like structures called kidney organoids. Organoids contain proximal and distal tubules as well as podocytes, in addition to a variety of other lineages such as endothelial cells. Organoid technology has great potential for kidney regeneration and has already been proven to be suitable for modeling kidney disease. However, the methodologies that are used for the generation of kidney organoids require expertise and can be daunting for the inexperienced. Here, we describe in detail a well-established and relatively simple method for the generation of human kidney organoids. We include notes on technical and design considerations for these experiments, and highlight key advantages and limitations of the system.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007684	Kidney Tubules	Long convoluted tubules in the nephrons. They collect filtrate from blood passing through the KIDNEY GLOMERULUS and process this filtrate into URINE. Each renal tubule consists of a BOWMAN CAPSULE; PROXIMAL KIDNEY TUBULE; LOOP OF HENLE; DISTAL KIDNEY TUBULE; and KIDNEY COLLECTING DUCT leading to the central cavity of the kidney (KIDNEY PELVIS) that connects to the URETER.	Kidney Tubule,Tubule, Kidney,Tubules, Kidney
D009940	Organoids	An organization of cells into an organ-like structure. Organoids can be generated in culture, e.g., self-organized three-dimensional tissue structures derived from STEM CELLS (see MICROPHYSIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS). They are also found in certain NEOPLASMS.	Organoid
D002454	Cell Differentiation	Progressive restriction of the developmental potential and increasing specialization of function that leads to the formation of specialized cells, tissues, and organs.	Differentiation, Cell,Cell Differentiations,Differentiations, Cell
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D050199	Podocytes	Highly differentiated epithelial cells of the visceral layer of BOWMAN CAPSULE of the KIDNEY. They are composed of a cell body with major CELL SURFACE EXTENSIONS and secondary fingerlike extensions called pedicels. They enwrap the KIDNEY GLOMERULUS capillaries with their cell surface extensions forming a filtration structure. The pedicels of neighboring podocytes interdigitate with each other leaving between them filtration slits that are bridged by an extracellular structure impermeable to large macromolecules called the slit diaphragm, and provide the last barrier to protein loss in the KIDNEY.	Visceral Epithelial Cells, Glomerular,Epithelial Cells, Glomerular Visceral,Glomerular Visceral Epithelial Cells,Podocyte
D018929	Cell Culture Techniques	Methods for maintaining or growing CELLS in vitro.	Cell Culture,Cell Culture Technique,Cell Cultures,Culture Technique, Cell,Culture Techniques, Cell
D039904	Pluripotent Stem Cells	Cells that can give rise to cells of the three different GERM LAYERS.	Stem Cells, Pluripotent,Pluripotent Stem Cell,Stem Cell, Pluripotent