Reprogramming Cells
New research may help shorten kidney transplant waiting lists. Scientists are investigating ways to reprogram damaged kidney cells to get patients off dialysis and completely healthy. If successful, this could mean a new reality for the 60 million people with chronic kidney disease.
The technique uses genetic material responsible for determining how genes develop to make kidney cells into "progenitor cells," cells that can serve any one of a number of functions. Normally, kidney cells are specialized, depending on where in the kidney they're located; progenitor cells can take on any of these roles.
While scientists have been able to create these progenitor cells, it is not known if they can be successfully returned to the patient. If they can be, however, patients may be able to avoid difficult and risky transplants.