Stem cell treatments for kidney disease have not yet been developed, however, below are some ways that researchers are using stem cells:

Understanding the disease

Stem cells can be used to help progress our understanding of the disease through studies on the development and behaviour of kidney cells grown in large numbers in the laboratory. Scientists are also studying how the kidney can regenerate itself and what types of kidney cells are involved in this process.

Developing new drugs and treatments

Stem cell research may also enable us to use the body's own repair systems to find treatments for kidney disease. In acute kidney disease, the body can often repair kidney damage itself, but it is unable to do this well enough to tackle the continuing damage that occurs in chronic kidney disease.

Replacing lost cells

It is still not clear which type of cells are involved in kidney regeneration. While researchers have been able to use stem cells to produce mini-kidneys that contain some of the building blocks of the kidney, a lot of research still needs to be done before such cells can be used in patients to treat CKD.

Studying kidney development, kidney disease and the natural repair process is very difficult because of the complex structures and huge range of different types of cells in a kidney.

Kidney diseases can be caused by damage to different types of cells in the kidney. Stem cell treatments will only be effective if the right type of cell is replaced and functions in a coordinated way in combination with the existing kidney tissue.

While recent research shows that we can build some elements of the kidney in the lab, we still have a lot of research if we are to ever build a fully functional replacement kidney for transplantation.

There are a number of sites that list clinical trials, including the clinicaltrials.gov registry. Please note that the scientific justification for the intervention and the credentials of those offering the service may have NOT been fully evaluated by this registry. Your findings may include listings that are NOT legitimate clinical trials. Please consult with your medical specialist or general practitioner as they are best placed to advise you on whether you would be a good candidate for a trial given your circumstances.

Please note: Although some clinics may claim to already offer stem cell treatments for kidney disease, there are serious questions about the scientific rationale and the safety of many of these approaches. Currently, there are no proven, safe and effective stem cell treatments for this condition available in Australia, the EU, US or elsewhere.