Dottorato in Medicina Molecolare

Contatti

Supervisore

Tesi di dottorato

Germline-cell Derived Pluripotent Stem Cells (GPSCs) are ES-like cells that are able to self-renew and differentiate into derivatives of all three germ layers. The purpose of this study is to investigate the capacity of GPSCs to differentiate into renal tubular cells both in vitro and in vivo. I hence devise a new protocol to induce renal epithelial differentiation, consisting in the addition to GPSCs culture medium of different growth factors, required during renal development. I demonstrated the expression of renal markers and the in vitro functionality of differentiated renal cells, and now I’ m investigating the capacity of these cells to integrate/repopulate the renal parenchyma after ischemia/reperfusion injury. To assess whether GPSCs-derived renal epithelial cells could colonise mouse kidney I performed renal ischemia/reperfusion injury and injected Vybrandt CFSE-labelled differentiated cells in mice tail. Blood urea-nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine level were assessed 48h after treatment. Interestingly, in mice treated with GPSCs-derived renal cells BUN and creatinine levels are significantly lower, compared to PBS-injected ischemised mice. In these mice there is also lower compromission of renal parenchyma, infact the renal cortex of mice treated with differentiated cells shows less apoptotic cells and necrotic tubules compared to PBS-injected ischemised mice. We are currently evaluating the role of GPSCs-derived renal epithelial cells in a model of renal chronic damage

Attività di ricerca