Generation of three-dimensional nephrons from mouse and human pluripotent stem cells

Abstract

Nephrons, the functional units of the kidney, are derived from nephron progenitor cells (NPCs). Here, we describe methods to reconstruct nephron tissue via induction of NPCs from mouse and human pluripotent stem cells, which mimic multistep developmental signals in vivo. Induced NPCs differentiate into three-dimensional nephron structures, including glomerular podocytes and nephric tubules, which are useful for studying early stages of kidney specification and morphogenetic processes in the context of normal development or disease.