Method and compositions of a bioartificial kidney suitable for use in vivo or ex vivo
AssigneeUniversity of Michigan
InventorsH. David Humes, Deborah A. Cieslinski
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Abstract
A novel cell seeded hollow fiber bioreactor is described as a potential bioartificial kidney. Renal cells are seeded along a hollow fiber in a perfused bioreactor to reproduce the ultrafiltration function and transport function of the kidney. Maintenance of tissue specific function and ultrastructure suggest that this bioreactor provides an economical device for treating renal failure as well as studying renal tubululogenesis in vitro.
Claims8
A method for growing renal tubule cells ex vivo, comprising culturing kidney cells in a three dimensional collagen gel in the presence of retinoic acid and epidermal growth factor in an amount effective for achieving tubulogenesis, wherein tubulogenesis is a phenotypic transformation of said cells such that condensed aggregates of tubule cells form about a central lumen wherein said lumen is bordered by cells possessing a polarized epithelial phenotype and tight junctional complexes along the lumenal border.
A renal tubule cell produced by the process of culturing renal tubule cells in a culture medium containing retinoic acid and epidermal growth factor in an amount effective for achieving tubulogenesis, wherein tubulogenesis is a phenotypic transformation of said cells such that condensed aggregates of tubule cells form about a central lumen wherein said lumen is bordered by cells possessing a polarized epithelial phenotype and tight junctional complexes along the lumenal border.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.