Abstract
We present a bio-inspired renal microdevice that resembles the in vivo structure of a kidney proximal tubule. For the first time, a population of tubular adult renal stem/progenitor cells (ARPCs) was embedded into a microsystem to create a bioengineered renal tubule. These cells have both multipotent differentiation abilities and an extraordinary capacity for injured renal cell regeneration. Therefore, ARPCs may be considered a promising tool for promoting regenerative processes in the kidney to treat acute and chronic renal injury. Here ARPCs were grown to confluence and exposed to a laminar fluid shear stress into the chip, in order to induce a functional cell polarization. Exposing ARPCs to fluid shear stress in the chip led the aquaporin-2 transporter to localize at their apical region and the Na+K+ATPase pump at their basolateral portion, in contrast to statically cultured ARPCs. A recovery of urea and creatinine of (20±5)% and (13±5)%, respectively, was obtained by the device. The microengineered biochip here-proposed might be an innovative “lab-on-a-chip” platform to investigate in vitro ARPCs behaviour or to test drugs for therapeutic and toxicological responses.
Original language | English |
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Article number | e87496 |
Pages (from-to) | 1-11 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | PLoS ONE |
Volume | 9 |
Issue number | 1 |
Early online date | 30 Jan 2014 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 30 Jan 2014 |
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Mirella Di Lorenzo
- Department of Chemical Engineering - Professor
- Faculty of Engineering and Design - Associate Dean (International)
- Centre for Sustainable Chemical Technologies (CSCT)
- Water Innovation and Research Centre (WIRC)
- Institute of Sustainability and Climate Change
- Centre for Bioengineering & Biomedical Technologies (CBio)
- Bath Institute for the Augmented Human
- Centre of Excellence in Water-Based Early-Warning Systems for Health Protection (CWBE)
Person: Research & Teaching, Core staff