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Kidney Lab
15 November 2015

Kidney Lab

Inside our kidneys are little units called nephrons that work to filter the blood. As they remove waste and regulate the balance of fluid in our bodies, they create urine, which we excrete. Recently, a mini kidney, made from stem cells, has been grown in the lab. Scientists guided the stem cells using growth factors, and they became a large and structurally complex ‘organoid’ (pictured using fluorescent tags), which not only contained structures important for kidney function, but also the blood vessels and tissue usually seen growing around nephrons in developing foetuses. The organoids were also tested to see if they would respond to toxic drugs; when they were treated with a cancer drug called cisplatin, they experienced damage in the same way that human kidneys do. These organoids could aid in cell therapy and bioengineering organs, and allow personalised treatments to be developed for patients with kidney disease.

Written by Katie Panteli

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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