Repairing the Chronic Damaged Kidney: The Role of Regenerative Medicine

Caldas, H.C.; Hayashi, A.P.C.; Abbud-Filho, M.

doi:10.1016/j.transproceed.2011.10.053

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Volume 43, Issue 10 , Pages 3573-3576, December 2011

Repairing the Chronic Damaged Kidney: The Role of Regenerative Medicine

H.C. Caldas
- Laboratory of Immunology and Experimental Transplantation-LITEX, Medical School, FAMERP/FUNFARME, Hospital de Base, Sao Jose Rio Preto, Brazil
A.P.C. Hayashi
- Laboratory of Immunology and Experimental Transplantation-LITEX, Medical School, FAMERP/FUNFARME, Hospital de Base, Sao Jose Rio Preto, Brazil
M. Abbud-Filho
- Laboratory of Immunology and Experimental Transplantation-LITEX, Medical School, FAMERP/FUNFARME, Hospital de Base, Sao Jose Rio Preto, Brazil
- Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Medical School, FAMERP/FUNFARME, Hospital de Base, Sao Jose Rio Preto, Brazil
- Address reprint requests to Mario Abbud Filho, MD, PhD, Department of Medicine/Nephrology, Laboratory of Immunology and Transplantation Experimental-LITEX, Av Brigadeiro Faria Lima 5416-15090-000, Sao Jose do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil

Abstract

The increasing number of patients who suffer from chronic kidney diseases combined with the organ shortage have directed the attention of researchers to new alternatives in the fields of regenerative medicine including cell-based therapies and tissue bioengineering. This review of renal regenerative medicine addresses the mechanisms of action by stem cells to regenerate or repair chronically damaged renal tissue, alternative routes for their delivery, the role of biomaterials in tissue engineering, and the potential therapeutic effects of combining cell therapy with biomaterials. Despite the promise of ongoing work for therapy of chronic renal failure, caution is required as a large gap still exists between scientific knowledge and clinical translation for safe, effective stem cell-based therapies.