Study seeks self-healing for kidneys

[okarol]

Study seeks self-healing for kidneys

Published: 5:32AM Friday September 24, 2010

Source: NZPA

Nearly $1 million in public funding has been granted to an Auckland University researcher, Associate Professor Alan Davidson, to investigate why tiny zebrafish can grow functional new kidney tissue, but humans cannot.

Prof Davidson today received $926,547 for three years of work aimed at eventually enabling human patients to regenerate their kidneys.

New Zealand has a high rate of kidney disease, particularly among diabetic patients and Maori and Pacific people, but current treatments such as dialysis and transplantation are unlikely to meet future demand, according to Prof Davidson, who is in the United States.

Human kidneys have some ability to self-heal, but cannot grow new nephrons, delicate structures that clean the blood.

The research will focus on adult zebrafish kidneys, which have nephrons similar to those in mammals but are also able to re-grow following injury.

http://tvnz.co.nz/health-news/study-seeks-self-healing-kidneys-3798814?ref=rss#

[MooseMom]

I wish him all the luck in the world.  I want to grow a new set of kidneys!