Human Kidney Organoids to Uncover Preterm Birth-Associated Low Nephron Endowment

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BACKGROUND: Preterm birth disrupts kidney development, resulting in reduced nephron number and structural immaturity of glomeruli and podocytes that increases the risk of hypertension, proteinuria, and subsequently chronic kidney disease (CKD) later in life. Since nephrogenesis ceases around 36 weeks of gestation, preterm infants cannot generate new nephrons after birth, making them vulnerable to long-term renal dysfunction. Unravelling the mechanisms behind this impaired development has been limited by the complexity of human nephrogenesis and the lack of physiologically relevant experimental models. SUMMARY: Recent advances in human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived kidney organoids have made it possible to model nephrogenesis in vitro. These organoids replicate key processes such as nephron differentiation, ureteric bud branching, and kidney vascularization, allowing detailed study of kidney development and injury. Moreover, molecular interventions - including retinoic acid (RA), glial-cell-line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) - show the potential to enhance nephron formation and protect against kidney injury. KEY MESSAGES: (1) Kidney organoids provide a powerful, human-relevant system to study nephrogenesis and CKD mechanisms. (2) Integration of the ureteric bud and enhanced vascularization significantly improves organoid maturity towards a more in vivo-like state. (3) Targeted molecular interventions such as RA, GDNF, and IGF1 offer potential strategies to enhance nephron endowment and mitigate CKD risk in preterm-born individuals and may be studied using kidney organoids.

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