No.3 Seminar ： Why do kidneys fail and how do they regenerate?
- Motoko Yanagita（The Hakubi Center）
- 2010/06/01 4:00pm
- The Hakubi Center (iCeMS West Wing 2F, Seminar Room)
- Japanese
Summary
Kidneys are an essential part of the urinary system and also serve homeostatic functions such as the regulation of electrolytes, maintenance of acid-base balance, and regulation of blood pressure. They serve the body as a natural filter for the blood, removing wastes from the circulatory system.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive loss in renal function over a period of months or years. The most common causes of CKD are diabetic nephropathy, hypertension, and glomerulonephritis. Recently, an increasing number of patients suffer from CKD, and the economic impact of CKD has become a social problem as a result.
One reason for the increase of CKD patients is the lack of effective treatment.
Today I will introduce our recent findings about the regenerative mechanism of kidneys, particularly the identification of cells responsible for regeneration. Deeper understanding about the cells will bring further clues to successful therapeutic applications.