Chapter 77 - Urine Progenitor Cells for Potential Application in Renal Tissue Repair

Abstract

Human urine-derived stem cells (USCs), a subpopulation of cells isolated from urine, possess biological characteristics of stem cells, i.e., clonogenicity, cell growth patterns and expansion capacity, cell surface marker expression profiles, capacity for multipotent differentiation, paracrine effects, and immunomodulatory properties. USCs originate from the parietal epithelial cells in kidney glomeruli. These cells not only can differentiate into mesenchymal cell lineages, but also renal cells, including podocytes and endothelial cells. USCs possess immunomodulatory properties via inhibition of T-cell and B-cell proliferation. In vivo studies demonstrated that USCs significantly enhanced renal function via antiinflammatory and antifibrotic mechanisms after implantation of USCs in rodent models of renal function insufficiency. Importantly, USCs can be obtained via a simple, noninvasive and low-cost approach. Thus, USCs provide a very promising cell source for treatment of renal diseases.