Researchers Grow Functional Rat Kidneys in Lab

[JonB]

Researchers Grow Functional Rat Kidneys in Lab

The kidneys successfully make urine both in the lab and when transplanted into a rat.

Functional rat kidneys have been made in lab by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital, leading to hopes that bioengineered replacement organs for humans are closer than most think. The kidneys produced urine both in the lab and after being transplanted into rats. They were grown on a natural scaffold of collagen called the extracellular matrix, which helps the grown kidneys to hold the shape and internal architecture of the natural kidney. Holding the shape of the natural kidney is an advantage over an artificial organ replacement because it's immediately implantable and won't interfere with nearby organs. The extracellular matrix's blood vessels were injected with human kidney cells, and then newborn rat kidney cells were used to fill out the other parts, resulting in tissue regeneration. After incubating for five days to allow growth, the kidneys were fully functional.

Currently, the extracellular matrix used is made by stripping a living organ of its cells, and a sustainable solution would require a lab-grown matrix as well. The researchers did note that the urine produced by the kidneys was lower quality than from natural organs, but that may be due to the immaturity of the kidneys. While some artificially decellularized tissues have had problems with blood clotting, the researchers saw no signs of bleeding or clotting during the experiment duration. The kidneys functioned for the whole experiment term, though the experiments were short.

Thousands of people die each year for a lack of transplantable organs, or while awaiting organ donors, and bioengineered organs could ease or eliminate such shortages. Dr. Harald C. Ott, a senior author of the paper, said that when a patient needed a kidney "You'd take a kidney matrix off the shelf, then, in an ideal world, you'd take cells from that patient and create a kidney on demand."

Source: New York Times [http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/15/science/rat-kidneys-made-in-lab-seen-as-step-to-human-transplants.html?_r=1&]
Image: Nature Medicine [http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nm.3154.html]

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[Quaxar]

Nice. Still, looking at some comparison data I can't imagine that rat could have survived long-term on the new kidney already. I wonder if there's some kind of rat dialysis machine...

 

[thiosk]

You can do dialysis on a lab rat, if you feel so inclined.

--

This technology is truly revolutionary. Its been coming for a while, but even though the products have looked like their parent organs and if produced from a patient's stem cells do not look to cause any rejection issues, but have had a decided lack of functionality in organs.

To actually be able to produce urine,
thats a huge step forward.

But its an old idea, so nature subjournal rather than nature.

 

[Canadish]

I hate to be a downer here, but I'm pretty sure I read somewhere else that the rat died just hours later.

That is probably important to mention.

 

[Jamous]

Excellent. I did my Biology coursework on Xenotransplantation. Tangentially related, but still.

 

[Daaaah Whoosh]

Sounds like the Deus Ex future just got a bit squishier.

 

[1337mokro]

Science, it fucking works!

This is both good and bad news. You see it's great for all the possible kidney patients in the future. It is bad news for anyone who can't afford them.

 

[Comando96]

This is both good and bad news. You see it's great for all the possible kidney patients in the future. It is bad news for anyone who can't afford them.

Good and bad?

Its good. Eventually it will be good for all as the price of such treatment will go down, but in time, not immediately.

Its bad in a really really superficial sense as some initially will have a cure in sight that is out of their grasp, but it is better to have a cure than no cure at all...

I have a friend who reall would need a form of this treatment but with another part of the body. I see it as progress.

 

[uchytjes]

So.... How long until I can enjoy the taste of endangered animals without the illegality of it all?

 

[1337mokro]

This is both good and bad news. You see it's great for all the possible kidney patients in the future. It is bad news for anyone who can't afford them.

Good and bad?

Its good. Eventually it will be good for all as the price of such treatment will go down, but in time, not immediately.

Its bad in a really really superficial sense as some initially will have a cure in sight that is out of their grasp, but it is better to have a cure than no cure at all...

I have a friend who reall would need a form of this treatment but with another part of the body. I see it as progress.

Oh of course it's progress, but progress is not inherently good. See child labour through industrialization

It's both good and bad. One it allows the rich a basically limitless supply of organs. Drank one liver to death? Take one out of the fridge and SLAP it on.

Simultaneously people in third world countries will still be stuck on dialysis machines.

Universally good news would have been "Researchers invent way to grow kidneys for less than 5 pence per kidney".

 

[Evil Smurf]

All I can think about is REPO MAN!

<youtube=MzgpU25C6fg>

 

[Comando96]

Oh of course it's progress, but progress is not inherently good. See child labour through industrialization

That would be applicable if we were testing this treatment at the expense of scooping up random africans to test this on. We're not

It's both good and bad. One it allows the rich a basically limitless supply of organs. Drank one liver to death? Take one out of the fridge and SLAP it on.

Simultaneously people in third world countries will still be stuck on dialysis machines.

"Oh those dialysis machines, all those rich people will be able to afford one, after they have ruined their health, while the poor people will just die in the gutter of the street", they said once upon a time.

Universally good news would have been "Researchers invent way to grow kidneys for less than 5 pence per kidney".

Changes happens over time.
This is the reality of our world at this time.
Within the knowlage of the above fact, which itself is not good... This is good news, not bad.

 

[1337mokro]

Oh of course it's progress, but progress is not inherently good. See child labour through industrialization

That would be applicable if we were testing this treatment at the expense of scooping up random africans to test this on. We're not

It's both good and bad. One it allows the rich a basically limitless supply of organs. Drank one liver to death? Take one out of the fridge and SLAP it on.

Simultaneously people in third world countries will still be stuck on dialysis machines.

"Oh those dialysis machines, all those rich people will be able to afford one, after they have ruined their health, while the poor people will just die in the gutter of the street", they said once upon a time.

Universally good news would have been "Researchers invent way to grow kidneys for less than 5 pence per kidney".

Changes happens over time.
This is the reality of our world at this time.
Within the knowlage of the above fact, which itself is not good... This is good news, not bad.

Oh of course not. We are going to test it on working class slubs whose only change at life is a new kidney!

Eh actually they do. Sheikhs in Saudi Arabia have their own personal medical wards. They literally own medical equipment for their own personal use. Now I don't know of an example in America because there it basically involves walking into a private clinic and paying the bill so why even bother buying the machine?

Knowlage

Uhum... Sure it's good news... for the people that will be able to afford the treatment.

 

[kailus13]

Does that bag look like a water balloon to anyone else?

I hate to be a downer here, but I'm pretty sure I read somewhere else that the rat died just hours later.

That is probably important to mention.

Could you link your sources? Someone could have lied to that website you were on.

Will this eventually extend to other organs?

 

[Beffudled Sheep_v1legacy]

Oh of course it's progress, but progress is not inherently good. See child labour through industrialization

That would be applicable if we were testing this treatment at the expense of scooping up random africans to test this on. We're not

It's both good and bad. One it allows the rich a basically limitless supply of organs. Drank one liver to death? Take one out of the fridge and SLAP it on.

Simultaneously people in third world countries will still be stuck on dialysis machines.

"Oh those dialysis machines, all those rich people will be able to afford one, after they have ruined their health, while the poor people will just die in the gutter of the street", they said once upon a time.

Universally good news would have been "Researchers invent way to grow kidneys for less than 5 pence per kidney".

Changes happens over time.
This is the reality of our world at this time.
Within the knowlage of the above fact, which itself is not good... This is good news, not bad.

Oh of course not. We are going to test it on working class slubs whose only change at life is a new kidney!

Eh actually they do. Sheikhs in Saudi Arabia have their own personal medical wards. They literally own medical equipment for their own personal use. Now I don't know of an example in America because there it basically involves walking into a private clinic and paying the bill so why even bother buying the machine?

Knowlage

Uhum... Sure it's good news... for the people that will be able to afford the treatment.

As time progresses we will learn more and get a better grasp on the procedures the cost will go down. Ya know, like pretty much all other forms of human technology through history?
We invent something and it is rudimentary and only available to the rich and powerful. Time passes, we perfect it/get better at making it and price decreases as our methods become more efficient and economical.

And even if this were to only be available to the rich for a long while then think of it like this.
The more rich people that use these kidneys = the more normal kidneys available for non-rich people.

So even if this is only available to the rich more people would still be saved and get kidneys than now.

So no matter how you look at this it is an example of good progress.

 

[Comando96]

Eh actually they do. Sheikhs in Saudi Arabia have their own personal medical wards. They literally own medical equipment for their own personal use. Now I don't know of an example in America because there it basically involves walking into a private clinic and paying the bill so why even bother buying the machine?

The use of sarcasm seems to have flown over your head...

You're coming at this from a very Marxist point of view and that's fine, however much the ruling class are better off than the rest, things get better and while the rich get better off first, this later ends up being given down to the working class, or for no other reason to give concessions to the people so that delays a revolution...

Still a good thing... not just for those who can afford the treatment at the time, as it will get cheaper for those in the future.

 

[1337mokro]

As time progresses we will learn more and get a better grasp on the procedures the cost will go down. Ya know, like pretty much all other forms of human technology through history?
We invent something and it is rudimentary and only available to the rich and powerful. Time passes, we perfect it/get better at making it and price decreases as our methods become more efficient and economical.

And even if this were to only be available to the rich for a long while then think of it like this.
The more rich people that use these kidneys = the more normal kidneys available for non-rich people.

So even if this is only available to the rich more people would still be saved and get kidneys than now.

So no matter how you look at this it is an example of good progress.

Define Good.

It's most certainly Progress for the replication of organs. But to claim it as a good progress is kind of letting me trololololololol you

Eh actually they do. Sheikhs in Saudi Arabia have their own personal medical wards. They literally own medical equipment for their own personal use. Now I don't know of an example in America because there it basically involves walking into a private clinic and paying the bill so why even bother buying the machine?

The use of sarcasm seems to have flown over your head...

You're coming at this from a very Marxist point of view and that's fine, however much the ruling class are better off than the rest, things get better and while the rich get better off first, this later ends up being given down to the working class, or for no other reason to give concessions to the people so that delays a revolution...

Still a good thing... not just for those who can afford the treatment at the time, as it will get cheaper for those in the future.

It helps if you actually use sarcasm in the first place

It's also not much a of a Marxist view, whilst your optimistic view of the rich getting richer eventually trickling down to the poorer classes is absolute bullshit. We can see that right now failing harder in America than ever.

Rich get richer... poor stagnate. The middle class gets a percentage of a percentage of the wage increases the rich get. Whilst productivity and gross revenue go up and up and up. What you are saying is bullshit

 

[Beffudled Sheep_v1legacy]

Oh of course it's progress, but progress is not inherently good. See child labour through industrialization

That would be applicable if we were testing this treatment at the expense of scooping up random africans to test this on. We're not

It's both good and bad. One it allows the rich a basically limitless supply of organs. Drank one liver to death? Take one out of the fridge and SLAP it on.

Simultaneously people in third world countries will still be stuck on dialysis machines.

"Oh those dialysis machines, all those rich people will be able to afford one, after they have ruined their health, while the poor people will just die in the gutter of the street", they said once upon a time.

Universally good news would have been "Researchers invent way to grow kidneys for less than 5 pence per kidney".

Changes happens over time.
This is the reality of our world at this time.
Within the knowlage of the above fact, which itself is not good... This is good news, not bad.

Oh of course not. We are going to test it on working class slubs whose only change at life is a new kidney!

Eh actually they do. Sheikhs in Saudi Arabia have their own personal medical wards. They literally own medical equipment for their own personal use. Now I don't know of an example in America because there it basically involves walking into a private clinic and paying the bill so why even bother buying the machine?

Knowlage

Uhum... Sure it's good news... for the people that will be able to afford the treatment.

As time progresses we will learn more and get a better grasp on the procedures the cost will go down. Ya know, like pretty much all other forms of human technology through history?
We invent something and it is rudimentary and only available to the rich and powerful. Time passes, we perfect it/get better at making it and price decreases as our methods become more efficient and economical.

And even if this were to only be available to the rich for a long while then think of it like this.
The more rich people that use these kidneys = the more normal kidneys available for non-rich people.

So even if this is only available to the rich more people would still be saved and get kidneys than now.

So no matter how you look at this it is an example of good progress.

Define Good.

It's most certainly Progress for the replication of organs. But to claim it as a good progress is kind of letting me trololololololol you

Let me pull up a dictionary so I can dictionary nazi you
benefit or advantage to someone or something
From the Oxford English dictionary

 

[1337mokro]

Oh of course it's progress, but progress is not inherently good. See child labour through industrialization

That would be applicable if we were testing this treatment at the expense of scooping up random africans to test this on. We're not

It's both good and bad. One it allows the rich a basically limitless supply of organs. Drank one liver to death? Take one out of the fridge and SLAP it on.

Simultaneously people in third world countries will still be stuck on dialysis machines.

"Oh those dialysis machines, all those rich people will be able to afford one, after they have ruined their health, while the poor people will just die in the gutter of the street", they said once upon a time.

Universally good news would have been "Researchers invent way to grow kidneys for less than 5 pence per kidney".

Changes happens over time.
This is the reality of our world at this time.
Within the knowlage of the above fact, which itself is not good... This is good news, not bad.

Oh of course not. We are going to test it on working class slubs whose only change at life is a new kidney!

Eh actually they do. Sheikhs in Saudi Arabia have their own personal medical wards. They literally own medical equipment for their own personal use. Now I don't know of an example in America because there it basically involves walking into a private clinic and paying the bill so why even bother buying the machine?

Knowlage

Uhum... Sure it's good news... for the people that will be able to afford the treatment.

As time progresses we will learn more and get a better grasp on the procedures the cost will go down. Ya know, like pretty much all other forms of human technology through history?
We invent something and it is rudimentary and only available to the rich and powerful. Time passes, we perfect it/get better at making it and price decreases as our methods become more efficient and economical.

And even if this were to only be available to the rich for a long while then think of it like this.
The more rich people that use these kidneys = the more normal kidneys available for non-rich people.

So even if this is only available to the rich more people would still be saved and get kidneys than now.

So no matter how you look at this it is an example of good progress.

Define Good.

It's most certainly Progress for the replication of organs. But to claim it as a good progress is kind of letting me trololololololol you

Let me pull up a dictionary so I can dictionary nazi you
benefit or advantage to someone or something
From the Oxford English dictionary

So you would define it as not bad?

Though how does it have No bad sides? Then it can be all good. But apparently we have to wait for that to happen so it DOES have bad sides