Can Stem Cell Therapy Cure Kidney Failure?

By Author: StemGenn
Total Articles: 2
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Stem cells, often described as core building blocks of the human body, have the unique capacity to self-renew and when activated replicate into almost any cell in the body given the right environment. Stem cells can thus be used to repair or replace diseased and damaged tissues, offering enormous potential for curing many diseases.

Therefore it is no surprise that stem cell therapy has been a subject of intense research over the years. Today stem cell therapy is being successfully used to regenerate tissue or renew cells in diseases such as leukaemia, diabetes, Parkinson’s or even Sports Injuries and other injuries to the bone or skin.

What is Kidney Failure
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) occurs when more than a third of kidney function is impaired and is often caused by other diseases such as diabetes. With no cure, the CKD steadily worsens over years and in some might result in kidney failure which is defined as having less than 10% of kidney function. Once this happens, patients need dialysis or a kidney transplant to stay alive.

Growing Incidence of Kidney Diseases
Kidney diseases are growing ...
... at a worrisome rate globally. It has been estimated that around 10% of population worldwide suffer from CKD. In India, an estimate by a senior AIIMS doctor has put its occurrence at 1 in 10 adults, with close to five lakh patients requiring life-long dialysis or transplantation. With barely a few thousands in a position to receive transplants, people with CKD have no other alternative other than the expensive option of dialysis.

Is Stem Cell Therapy the Answer?
Extensive research has been undertaken worldwide to understand if stem cells can be used to regenerate damaged kidney and restore lost function. Over the past years, there has been substantial improvement in understanding how stem cells can contribute and scientists have formulated initial treatment therapies, although we are some distance away from developing a kidney in the laboratory.

Researchers have zeroed in on bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and human induced pluripotent stem cells as having the maximum promise for use in repairing kidneys.

Mesenchymal stem cells have the ability to regenerate into many different stem cell types. Safe for use in transplantation, these cells can be assimilated into the renal tubular cells and can develop into mesengial cells. Furthermore, these cells help in revitalizing the kidney’s stem cells (renal stem cells). They also promote the survival of renal cells by releasing growth stimulants, which starts the natural recovery process.

Successful cases have been reported in India of using stem cells from bone marrow and fat to cure patients suffering from acute and chronic nephritis which could result in kidney failure. In this form of treatment, the mesenchymal stem cells as well as the bone marrow are delivered directly into the kidneys, which helps to initiate the process of the organ repairing the damage on its own. Similarly, stem cell therapy has been used to transplant bone marrow stem cells to treat complications of multiple myeloma arising in a kidney transplant patient.

Can Stem Cell Therapy Cure Kidney Failure?
Sadly we have still not reached the stage of stem cell therapy completely curing kidney failure but it can definitely be used to halt the progression of CKD and in improving success rates of kidney transplants. Currently available stem cell therapy uses stem cells to regenerate and repair damaged renal cells, improving the function of the kidney and slowing down the disease’s progression.