Good News: Some real hope

[livecam]

Although this article involves the human liver, it doesn't take much imagination to realize that this could be done with the kidney as well.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=413551&in_page_id=1766&ito=1490

[Fighter]

Yeah, we're getting there... I'm a firm believer in science and medical progress. Time is definitely on our side!

[AlasdairUK]

It is a great achievement, but just keep in mind that it was the size of a 1p coin. It will take another 10 - 15 years, but with advances over that period in time with science it may decrease. We can only hope.

[Rerun]

If they are like computers they will make changes little by little so they can charge each step of the way. 

[Sluff]

 

Interesting article.

[roybear]

here is a link to an article that was printed in 2001.  As far as I know, no one has pursued this any further.
It is probably a money issue.  The article mentions using a persons own stem cells(adult).  Apparently, there
is very little money in using a persons own stem cells. 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1454060.stm

Please check it out.

[LightLizard]

What burns me is that this information has sat for six years and as far as we know, has gone nowhere!
The researchers need political support, and they are just not getting it!
Meanwhile, people are dying and resources are being cranked out and depleted as we speak.
We need more politicians with kidney disease, I guess.
I wouldn't wish that on anyone, but the way it looks to me is that nothing useful ever gets done by politicians unless it's personal.

[BIEN Student]

Unfortunately the majority of the causes of kidney failure are related to damage to the glomerulus (filter) of the nephron so there is not much that individual stem cells can do.  In general, stem cells flow through the body until they come across a "hole" where they will fit.  Once in place they respond to the chemicals around them to become the same type of cell as the ones around them.  In order to regenerate kidney function the stem cells would have to form a large number of very complex complete nephrons that are composed of thousands of cells.  Probably the best hope for stem cells providing a cure for kidney disease would be if researchers developed a technique that employed very specific chemicals and hormones to trick stem cells into forming a full kidney which could then be transplanted.  The benefit to using someone's personal stem cells is that they would not reject.