(Press-News.org) Scientists at Kumamoto University have made a major breakthrough in regenerative medicine by successfully creating functional ureter tissue—organoids resembling the urinary tract—from pluripotent stem cells. The achievement brings researchers one step closer to developing transplantable kidneys capable of producing and expelling urine.
The ureter, a critical tube that carries urine from the kidneys to the bladder, has long been missing from lab-grown kidney models. Without it, kidney organoids have lacked the ability to simulate complete organ function, posing a major obstacle to future transplant applications.
Led by Professor Ryuichi Nishinakamura, from the Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, the team successfully created ureteral tissues from pluripotent stem cells by integrating induced ureteral stromal progenitors and epithelial components derived from mouse embryos or induced ureteral epithelial progenitors. When these cell types were combined, they self-organized into three-layered, peristaltically contracting ureteral structures. Some organoids even displayed rhythmic contractions similar to natural urine flow.
Notably, the researchers also modeled genetic ureteral disorders using cells with TBX18 mutations, which resulted in impaired tissue development, offering a promising platform for studying congenital urinary tract diseases.
“This is the first time a ureteral structure has been built entirely from pluripotent stem cells,” said Professor Nishinakamura. “Combining this with our kidney organoids may enable the construction of transplantable kidneys that can produce and excrete urine—marking a significant step toward next-generation regenerative therapies.”
About the Project: International Leading Research "Creating A Kidney：A global network to generate transplantable kidney organoid"
This study represents a major milestone in the “International Leading Research: Creating A Kidney” project, supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). Kumamoto University serves as the core institution for this prestigious initiative, which is led by Professor Ryuichi Nishinakamura.
The project brings together a global network of researchers from both Japan and abroad, aiming not only to achieve the goal of generating transplantable kidney organoids through cutting-edge scientific breakthroughs, but also to nurture the next generation of young scientists. This truly international collaboration embodies the spirit of excellence in both research and education.
For more information, please visit: https://creating-kidney.jp/en/
END
Researchers engineer ureter tissue from stem cells, paving way for transplantable kidneys
2025-08-28
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Strong, evidence-based leadership at CDC essential in wake of director’s exit, says SHEA
2025-08-28
SHEA is deeply disappointed by the sudden departure of the CDC Director so soon after her confirmation, at a time when the agency most needs stability and authority to carry out its vital mission of protecting the health and safety of all Americans. The United States stands at a critical crossroads, where strong, trusted public health leadership is essential to restoring confidence through evidence-based practices and guidance. In an era marked by increasing assaults on science and public health, CDC must be empowered to rise above politics and remain focused on their core purpose: safeguarding ...
Birdwatching tourism is booming. Some countries are benefiting, while others are left behind
2025-08-28
Deep in a forest in the Andes, high atop a tall tree, there’s a quick, colorful flash of plumage in vivid shades of yellow, green, and blue. A high-pitched musical chirp rings out. Through a carefully trained pair of binoculars, a beautiful little bird comes into view. It’s a multicolored tanager, a species that lives only in the mountains of Colombia. Seeing it in person for the first time feels like the thrill of discovery. Watching it search for fruit across the treetops brings a sense of peace and connection to nature.
Experiences like these are what motivate birdwatchers to travel the globe, in hopes ...
High protein or Trp diet increases the risk of cancer-associated venous thromboembolism
2025-08-27
Contact: Gina DiGravio, 617-358-7838, ginad@bu.edu
(Boston)—Next to cancer recurrence or progression, cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of death in cancer survivors. The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database revealed that among the more than three million who initially survived cancer between 1973 and 2012, 38% eventually succumbed to the disease while 11.3% died from cardiovascular diseases. Specifically, cancer survivors are at a four to seven-fold higher risk of venous thromboembolism ...
Risk of a second cancer after early breast cancer is low
2025-08-27
For women diagnosed with early breast cancer, the long-term risk of developing a second primary cancer is low (around 2-3% greater than women in the general population), finds a study published by The BMJ today.
The researchers say this information can help reassure many breast cancer survivors who believe their risk of a second primary cancer is much higher than these results suggest.
Breast cancer survivors are at increased risk of developing second primary cancers, but risk estimates from previous studies are inconsistent. ...
Genetic key to why immune responses differ between men and women
2025-08-27
A new study has uncovered a key difference between the immune system of males and females - and it comes down to a single gene.
It is known that biological sex affects the function of the immune system, with women often being more severely affected by autoimmune conditions or allergic diseases.
Scientists from the University of York have now identified the gene Malat1 as a critical player in regulating immune responses in female immune cells, but not in males.
The team studied T cells, a pillar of our immune system, in the lab and animal models of inflammation. ...
Discovery could lead to new treatments for life-threatening allergic reactions
2025-08-27
Food allergies affect more than half a billion people worldwide. In severe cases, even a small bite of the wrong food can trigger anaphylaxis — a rapid, body-wide allergic reaction that can cause difficulty breathing, a dangerous drop in blood pressure and even death.
Scientists have long understood how injected allergens — like those in lab tests or insect stings — trigger anaphylaxis. But researchers have puzzled over how anaphylaxis begins in the gut after eating a food allergen.
Now, Arizona State University researchers, in collaboration with a team ...
CRF announces TCT 2025 late-breaking clinical trials and science
2025-08-27
NEW YORK – August 27, 2025 – The Cardiovascular Research Foundation® (CRF®) is excited to announce the late-breaking clinical trials and science set to be presented at TCT® 2025, the annual scientific symposium of CRF® and the world’s premier educational meeting specializing in interventional cardiovascular medicine. This year’s conference will take place October 25–28 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, bringing together top experts, innovators, and clinicians from around the globe.
For more ...
Ancient DNA reveals farming spread through migration, locals slow to adopt it
2025-08-27
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Roughly 10,000 years ago, humans started shifting from being nomadic hunter-gatherers to building large agricultural settlements, marking one of the greatest transformations in human history. This transition, known as the Neolithic Revolution, began in the Fertile Crescent of the Middle East and led to the spread of farming throughout Europe. For decades, researchers have debated what drove this change. Did farming spread mainly because farmers themselves moved into new lands, ...
Researchers turn mouse scalp transparent to image brain development
2025-08-27
During childhood and adolescence, our brain goes through a lot of changes. But studying those changes in juvenile mice is challenging because scientists don’t have a way to repeatedly image the same animal’s neural pathways as they grow.
Now, by simply rubbing a solution into a juvenile mouse’s scalp, researchers at Stanford can make the skin transparent to all visible light, allowing them to image the developing connections in a living mouse’s brain. And because the technique is reversible and non-invasive, the researchers can return to the same animal over days and weeks. The work, published Aug. ...
New research reveals longevity gains slowing, life expectancy of 100 unlikely
2025-08-27
MADISON, Wis. – A new study co-authored by a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor finds that life expectancy gains made by high-income countries in the first half of the 20th century have slowed significantly, and that none of the generations born after 1939 will reach 100 years of age on average.
Published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study by Héctor Pifarré i Arolas of the La Follette School of Public Affairs, José Andrade ...