Stem cells from human skin turned into kidney tissue

Scientists in Australia succeed in growing 'organoids' comparable to early stage of a baby's kidneys that have collecting ducts and filtering units called nephons

Human stem cells have been turned into clumps of kidney tissue in a crucial first step towards building new organs for patients in the lab.

Scientists in Australia made the breakthrough after turning stem cells derived from human skin into two of the main structures found in kidneys, namely collecting ducts and blood-filtering units called nephrons.