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Biology subjects

Kim, A. D.

Publications and source records attributed to Kim, A. D..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

Generation of kidney ureteric bud and collecting duct organoids that recapitulate kidney branching morphogenesis

Kidney organoids model development and diseases of the nephron but not the contiguous epithelial network of the kidneys collecting duct (CD) system. Here, we report the generation of an expandable, 3D branching ureteric bud (UB) organoid culture model that can be derived from primary UB progenitors from mouse and human fetal kidneys, or generated de novo from pluripotent human stem cells. UB organoids differentiate into CD organoids in vitro, with differentiated cell types adopting spatial assemblies reflective of the adult kidney collecting system. Aggregating 3D-cultured nephron progenitor cells with UB organoids in vitro results in a reiterative process of branching morphogenesis and nephron induction, similar to kidney development. Combining efficient gene editing with the UB organoid model will facilitate an enhanced understanding of development, regeneration and diseases of the mammalian collecting system. One sentence summaryCollecting duct organoids derived from primary mouse and human ureteric bud progenitor cells and human pluripotent stem cells provide an in vitro platform for genetic dissection of development, regeneration and diseases of the mammalian collecting system.

developmental biology

Spatial Transcriptional Mapping of the Human Nephrogenic Program

Congenital abnormalities of the kidney and urinary tract are amongst the most common birth defects affecting 3% of newborns. The human kidney develops over a 30-week period in which a nephron progenitor pool gives rise to around a million nephrons. To establish a framework for human nephrogenesis, we spatially resolved a stereotypical process by which equipotent nephron progenitors generate a nephron anlagen, then applied data-driven approaches to construct three-dimensional protein maps on anatomical models of the nephrogenic program. Single cell RNA sequencing identified novel progenitor states which were spatially mapped to the nephron anatomy enabling the generation of functional gene-networks predicting interactions within and between nephron cell-types. Network mining identified known developmental disease genes and predicts new targets of interest. The spatially resolved nephrogenic program made available through the Human Nephrogenesis Atlas (https://sckidney.flatironinstitute.org/) will facilitate an understanding of kidney development and disease, and enhance efforts to generate new kidney structures.

cell biology

Single Cell Profiling Reveals Sex, Lineage and Regional Diversity in the Mouse Kidney

Chronic kidney disease affects 10% of the population with notable differences in ethnic and sex-related susceptibility to kidney injury and disease. Kidney dysfunction leads to significant morbidity and mortality, and chronic disease in other organ systems. A mouse organ-centered understanding underlies rapid progress in human disease modeling, and cellular approaches to repair damaged systems. To enhance an understanding of the mammalian kidney, we combined anatomy-guided single cell RNA sequencing of the adult male and female mouse kidney with in situ expression studies and cell lineage tracing. These studies reveal cell diversity and marked sex differences, distinct organization and cell composition of nephrons dependent on the time of nephron specification, and lineage convergence, in which contiguous functionally-related cell types are specified from nephron and collecting system progenitor populations. A searchable database integrating findings to highlight gene-cell relationships in a normal anatomical framework will facilitate study of the mammalian kidney.

genetics