The bioartificial kidney

Renal failure has an exceedingly high mortality rate despite advances in dialysis technology. Current renal replacement therapies (RRTs) restore only the filtration function of the kidney. Replacing the critical transport, metabolic, and endocrine functions of the kidney may provide more complete RRT, changing the natural history of these disease processes. Primary human renal epithelial cells (RECs) have been isolated and expanded under conditions that enhance propagation, resulting in maximum cell yield for use in bioengineered applications. These RECs demonstrate differentiated absorptive, metabolic, and endocrine functions of the kidney when tested under in vitro and preclinical ex vivo animal studies. When incorporated into bioengineered systems, RECs have proved to provide effective RRTs in both preclinical and clinical studies. These engineered “bioartificial kidneys” demonstrate metabolic activity with systemic effects and improvement of survival in patients with acute kidney injury and multiorgan failure. Results also indicate REC therapy influences systemic leukocyte activation and the balance of inflammatory cytokines, suggesting that this REC therapy may improve morbidity and mortality by altering the proinflammatory state of patients. This innovative approach for treating renal and inflammatory disease states may become a groundbreaking, transformative platform to current standard-of-care therapies, enabling the advancement of numerous lifesaving technologies.