News Release

Scientists get closer to developing bioartificial kidney

Peer-Reviewed Publication

American Society of Nephrology

Highlights

  • Researchers have developed a key component needed to create a bioartificial kidney.
  • The advance will be presented at ASN Kidney Week 2016 November 15-20 at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL.

Chicago, IL (November 19, 2016) -- Investigators are getting closer to creating a functional bioartificial kidney, with advances being presented at ASN Kidney Week 2016 November 15¬-20 at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL.

A bioartificial kidney could replace the need for dialysis or transplantation in the millions of patients with kidney failure. A key requirement for such a device is the formation of a "living membrane" that consists of a tight kidney cell layer on artificial membrane surfaces and can transport molecules from one side to the other. In their latest work, Dimitrios Stamatialis, PhD (University of Twente, in The Netherlands), Roos Masereeuw, PhD (University of Utrecht, in The Netherlands), and their teams achieved this using conditionally immortalized human renal proximal tubular epithelial cells (ciPTECs) on polyethersulfone-based hollow fiber membranes. They demonstrated that the cell monolayer is indeed functional as a living membrane.

"This study shows the successful development of a living membrane consisting of a reproducible ciPTEC monolayer on hollow fiber membranes, an important step towards the development of a bioartificial kidney device," said Prof. Stamatialis. "The strategies and methods of this work could be relevant to the development of other bioartificial organs, such as a bioartificial liver or bioartificial pancreas, and organs on chips--such as a kidney on chip, a lung on chip, or a liver on chip."

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Study: "Development of a Bioartificial Kidney Device" (Abstract 23)

ASN Kidney Week 2016, the largest nephrology meeting of its kind, will provide a forum for more than 13,000 professionals to discuss the latest findings in kidney health research and engage in educational sessions related to advances in the care of patients with kidney and related disorders. Kidney Week 2016 will take place November 15-20, 2016 in Chicago, IL.

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