Title:Advances and Challenges in Kidney Organoids
Volume: 17
Issue: 3
Author(s): Vikram Sabapathy*, Gabrielle Costlow, Rajkumar Venkatadri, Murat Dogan, Sanjay Kumar and Rahul Sharma
Affiliation:
- Center for Immunity, Inflammation, and Regenerative Medicine (CIIR), Division of Nephrology, Department of
Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
Keywords:
Organoids, kidney, stem cells, differentiation factors, reprogramming, 3D culture.
Abstract: The advent of organoids has renewed researchers' interest in in vitro cell culture systems.
A wide variety of protocols, primarily utilizing pluripotent stem cells, are under development
to improve organoid generation to mimic organ development. The complexity of organoids generated
is greatly influenced based on the method used. Understanding the process of kidney organoid
formation gives developmental insights into how renal cells form, mature, and interact with the adjacent
cells to form specific spatiotemporal structural patterns. This knowledge can bridge the gaps
in understanding in vivo renal developmental processes. Evaluating genetic and epigenetic signatures
in specialized cell types can help interpret the molecular mechanisms governing cell fate. In
addition, development in single-cell RNA sequencing, 3D bioprinting and microfluidic technologies
has led to better identification and understanding of a variety of cell types during differentiation
and designing of complex structures to mimic the conditions in vivo. While several reviews
have highlighted the application of kidney organoids, there is no comprehensive review of various
methodologies specifically focusing on kidney organoids. This review summarizes the updated differentiation
methodologies, applications, and challenges associated with kidney organoids. Here
we have comprehensively collated all the different variables influencing the organoid generation.