Prospects of transplantology: Japan scientists have grown an artificial kidney from stem cells
The majority of the patients requiring transplantation of organs die because of lack of donor kidneys. Therefore the given research is vital, as it gives hope to such patients for the further life with artificial, but functionally capable organ.
The work was conducted at the University of Tokyo on mice which did not have the gene responsible for formation of kidneys. Embryos of such mice received embryonic stem cells with normal genic number. As a result mice had normal kidneys. Scientists mark, that this is the first research on cultivation of an artificial kidney.
The next stage will be transplantation of the organs, which were grown this way to check up their functional ability. Conducting of similar experiment on larger animals - cows or pigs - is in the long term prospects.