Advances in Stem Cell-Based Regenerative Medicine for Renal Disorders
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Biology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2025 | Viewed by 274
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Renal disorders, including chronic kidney disease (CKD) and acute kidney injury (AKI), pose a significant global health challenge due to high morbidity and mortality rates, extensive healthcare costs, impaired quality of life, and progression to irreversible end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Current treatment options, such as lifelong hemodialysis and kidney transplantation, are constrained by the limited duration of dialysis and the scarcity of donor kidneys. Accordingly, alternative strategies for potentially curing, preventing, or delaying progression to ESRD are urgently needed. Stem cells are emerging as a promising tool and target in regenerative medicine due to their unique features, including self-renewal, broad differentiation potential, and involvement in tissue repair and regeneration. These cells can address a variety of challenges in renal disorders through cutting-edge cell manipulation technologies or by awakening intrinsic stem cells in patients’ bodies. Significant progress has been made in differentiating human pluripotent stem cells, such as embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), into specific cell lineages. To circumvent ethical concerns and potential risks associated with pluripotent cells, direct or indirect reprogramming of functional cell types into other lineages—bypassing the pluripotent stage—offers valuable benefits for regenerative medicine applications in a tissue- and patient-specific manner. Despite these advances, translating stem cell therapies from the laboratory to clinical practice remains challenging due to issues with efficacy, safety, and transplantation methods. Various stem cell-based regenerative strategies have been explored, including the use of stem cell-secreted molecules packaged within extracellular vesicles (such as exosomes and microvesicles). These cell-free approaches hold promise for safely and effectively transporting bioactive cargoes and facilitating intercellular signaling. Additionally, hydrogel-mediated delivery systems are being developed to protect transplanted stem cells from external stresses and enable them to replace damaged or missing tissue. In these systems, stem cells are entrapped within a 3D polymer network surrounded by a semipermeable membrane, allowing for localized and sustained release of signaling factors to drive cellular responses in differentiation and regeneration. The aim of this Special Issue is to publish original research articles focused on stem cell-based regenerative medicine strategies for renal disorders and the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in tissue repair. We welcome review articles that critically and systematically analyze current research, offer concluding insights, and provide a future outlook for the field. Contributions should highlight the broad applicability of regenerative medicine strategies and their potential for translation into clinical practice.
Dr. In-Yong Kim
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- chronic kidney disease
- acute kidney injury
- stem cells
- regenerative medicine
- stem cell therapy
- cellular reprogramming
- cell transplantation
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