Organoids mimic key kidney functions

Researchers in the US have developed lab-grown kidneys (organoids) that, for the first time, could produce urine when transplanted into mice.  

Organoids are 3D cell cultures that mimic some features of human or animal organ tissues. Even though sometimes described as mini-organs, they are not complete or functional organs, lacking proper structure.  

A study from the University of Southern California developed mouse kidney organoids that can mimic complex structures and produce urine – a key function of the kidney.  

The team used mouse stem cells grown in a mixture of compounds that supported kidney organoid development and complex maturation. They also generated human kidney organoids, albeit not mature enough to produce urine.  

However, when the researchers created organoids from human stem cells carrying kidney disease mutations and then transplanted them into mice organoids, these developed disease characteristics, demonstrating the potential to study human disease in animal organoids.  

“This breakthrough has potential for advancing kidney research in many critical ways—from accelerating drug discovery to unravelling the genetic underpinnings of kidney development, disease, and cancer,” said Zhongwei Li, leader of the study published in Cell Stem Cell.