Lab grown human nephron progenitor cells (Image by Biao Huang/Li Lab)In a new study published in Cell Stem Cell, USC scientists report significant progress in cultivating nephron progenitor cells (NPCs), the cells destined to form the kidney’s filtration system, the nephrons. NPCs hold immense promise for understanding kidney development, modeling diseases, and discovering new treatments.

“By enhancing our capability to grow NPCs from human stem cells, we create a new avenue for understanding and combating congenital kidney diseases and cancer,” said corresponding and lead author Zhongwei Li, an assistant professor of medicine, and stem cell biology and regenerative medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

In the study, funded in part by the National Institutes of Health, Li Lab postdocs Biao Huang and Zipeng Zeng and their collaborators improved the chemical cocktail for generating and growing NPCs in the laboratory.

To read more, visit https://stemcell.keck.usc.edu/usc-led-study-introduces-a-new-and-improved-way-to-grow-the-cells-that-give-rise-to-the-kidneys-filtration-system.