Grant: Operating Grant

There has been great interest in the possibility that stem cells isolated from the bone marrow might useful in regenerating damaged organs such as the kidney. Bone marrow stem cells are easily obtained and migrate to sites of injury when infused into the bloodstream. Unfortunately, it is rare that they actually differentiate into specialized renal cells. On the other hand, the kidney arises from a pool of stem-like renal progenitor cells (RPC) during embryogenesis that are specifically primed to respond to the signals that induce kidney development. In this research program, we propose to study the biology and therapeutic potential of RPC. We will study the biology of isolated RPC in tissue culture and test the theory that some RPC are retained in the adult kidney where they maintain the organ throughout life. Finally, we will pursue our recent discovery that embryonic RPC (unlike bone marrow stem cells) are readily integrated into renal tubules when they are infused into mice with experimental kidney injury.