Principles of Kidney Regeneration

Kidney regeneration is thought to take place in all animal species throughout evolution, either through mechanisms of nephron neogenesis or cellular regeneration. Over the past decade, a large body of evidence demonstrated the kidney capacity to recover renal function following a vast range of injury. Disease regression and remission have been observed in patients, indicating that intrinsic repair mechanisms are implemented in the kidney. Renal progenitor cells (RPC) are key players in that process, as this cell population is capable of regenerating damaged kidney tissues. RPC maintenance and differentiating potential are regulated by several signaling pathways that can be implemented following injury and can lead to a correct regenerative process, while an altered regulation of these same signaling pathways in RPC triggers the generation of renal lesions. These complex mechanisms can be pharmacologically modulated to activate regeneration for therapeutic purposes.