Human kidneys grown in a dish could change the way drugs are tested

AUSSIE scientists have been able to grow mini human kidneys in a dish. And researchers say this latest breakthrough is the start of something big.

Human kidneys grown in a dish

IT’S the Australian scientific breakthrough that could have a dramatic effect on how drugs are tested in the future.

Australian scientists have created mini-kidneys in a laboratory dish in a world-first which some day may lead to new treatments for patients with kidney failure.

The primitive mini-kidneys, which are not a viable organ, were grown from stem cells by researchers from Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, led by Professor Melissa Little.

They first grew a mini-kidney in a dish in 2013 and were able to form two key cell types.

But they now have grown an organ that forms all the different cell types normally present in the human kidney.

A miniature Kidney grown at the Molecular Science Labratory, St Lucia Uni... Photo by Andrew Seymour

The mini-kidneys could potentially be used to screen drugs either for treatment of kidney disease or to find out if a new drug is likely to injure the kidney.

“The mini-kidney we have been able to grow is very complex and more like the real organ.” said Prof Little.

“This is important for drug testing as we hope they will respond to the drugs as a normal organ might.

“Creating a model kidney containing many different kidney cell types also opens the door for cell therapy and even bio-engineering of replacement kidneys “One day this may mean new treatments for patients with kidney failure.”

Their creation also means researchers can make a miniature model kidney from any person, starting with cells such as skin or blood.

“Making stem cells from patients with kidney disease, and then growing a mini-kidney that matches the patient, will help us understand that patient’s disease and develop treatments for them.”

The study is published in the journal Nature.