Human Fetal Kidney for Regenerative Medicine: From Embryonic Rudiments to Renal Stem/Progenitor Cells

Nearly 26. million Americans, one in every nine, harbor kidney disease. Despite recent medical advances, current treatment options for patients with renal failure are limited. Alternatives available to patients who succumb to terminal renal disease are either supportive treatment in the form of dialysis or whole-organ replacement by kidney transplantation. Dialysis is associated with long-term morbidity, mortality, and poor quality of life. The shortage of donor organs and the long wait time on the recipient list hamper renal transplantation. The number of patients with end-stage renal disease has increased significantly in recent decades, and the treatment costs for these patients now exceed the cumulative costs of treating cancer patients. Against this background of the growing number of patients with kidney disease and limited treatment options, alternative treatments are needed.