Prospect for kidney bioengineering: Shortcomings of the status quo

Dialysis and renal transplantation are the only two therapeutic options offered to patients affected by end-stage kidney disease; however, neither treatment can be considered definitive. In fact, dialysis is able to replace only the filtration function of the kidney without substituting its endocrine and metabolic roles, and dramatically impacts on patient's quality of life. On the other hand, kidney transplantation is severely limited by the shortage of transplantable organs, the need for immunosuppressive therapies and a narrow half-life. Regenerative medicine approaches are promising tools aiming to improve this condition.