A growing shortage of donor organs has heightened interest in developing novel strategies for tissue regeneration, including the possible role of stem cells, as an alternative to heterologous organ replacement in patients with renal failure. We have discovered that a unique population of pluripotential cells exist in amniotic fluid that have similar totipotent properties as more traditional lines of embryonic stem cells but avoid embryo destruction during retrieval, which is desirable. We would like to apply these amniotic fluid derived stem cells for the regeneration of kidney tissue in the laboratory. Tissue Engineering and Developmental Biology have uniquely contributed compelling but preliminary data towards a common goal of bioengineering kidneys. Therefore, the broad objective of this proposal is to determine if amniotic fluid derived stem cells are capable of forming kidney tissue in a novel co-culture system that employs, for the first time, technologies from both Tissue Engineering and Developemental Biology. This project also seeks to optimize the scalability of these bioengineered kidneys so that they can be applied in vivo.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Type
Clinical Investigator Award (CIA) (K08)
Project #
5K08DK073082-04
Application #
7478349
Study Section
Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases B Subcommittee (DDK)
Program Officer
Rankin, Tracy L
Project Start
2005-09-30
Project End
2010-08-31
Budget Start
2008-09-01
Budget End
2009-08-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2008
Total Cost
$117,422
Indirect Cost
Name
Children's Hospital of Los Angeles
Department
Type
DUNS #
052277936
City
Los Angeles
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
90027
Perin, Laura; Giuliani, Stefano; Sedrakyan, Sargis et al. (2008) Stem cell and regenerative science applications in the development of bioengineering of renal tissue. Pediatr Res 63:467-71
Perin, Laura; Sedrakyan, Sargis; Da Sacco, Stafano et al. (2008) Characterization of human amniotic fluid stem cells and their pluripotential capability. Methods Cell Biol 86:85-99