Ready-to-use 3D Human Mini-Kidney Spheroids

Kidney proximal tubules make up a significant portion in the human kidney and are composed of specialized proximal tubular epithelial cells [1]. These epithelial cells are involved in transporter activities and immune responses [1]. Notably, most kidney diseases begin in proximal tubules due to their frequent exposure to high concentration of xenobiotics. In vivo, the renal proximal tubule epithelial cells (RPTEpiC) are in close proximity with the renal interstitium, the space between the cortical tubules consisting of cells, extracellular matrix, proteoglycans, glycoproteins, and interstitial fluid [2]. The cell types present in the cortical interstitium are fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and immune cells, and they support the function of renal proximal tubular epithelial cells [2]. For example, co-culture of primary proximal tubular epithelial cells with endothelial cells improves RPTEpiC proliferation and differentiation through the paracrine signaling process [3]. Due to the importance of culture proximal tubular epithelial cells with their supporting cells, ScienCell has developed a 3D mini-kidney spheroid model (SP3D-HMKS) comprising human primary renal proximal tubular epithelial cells, mesangial cells, and glomerular endothelial cells enabling more accurate prediction of tissue-level outcomes. These human mini-kidney spheroids allow the functional maintenance of cells over time due to a more native, three-dimensional (3D) architecture. In addition, the 3D mini-kidney model makes it feasible to study kidney diseases that are challenging to model using only epithelial cells such as fibrosis.