Preclinical approaches in regenerative medicine for treating end-stage renal disease: a scoping review

A scoping review was conducted to systematically assess the current evidence and emerging applications of regenerative medicine in the treatment of End Stage Renal Disease (ERSD), aiming to map existing knowledge and identify key research gaps. ESRD represents a major global health burden, and despi...

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Main Authors: Andrea Vigezzi, Paola Brani, Daniela Dalla Gasperina, Lorenzo Azzi, Cristina Giaroni, Davide Inversini, Giuseppe Pettinato, Matthew Massaad, Giulio Carcano, Giuseppe Ietto, Andreina Baj
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Endocrinology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2025.1549744/full
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author Andrea Vigezzi
Paola Brani
Daniela Dalla Gasperina
Lorenzo Azzi
Cristina Giaroni
Davide Inversini
Giuseppe Pettinato
Matthew Massaad
Giulio Carcano
Giuseppe Ietto
Andreina Baj
author_facet Andrea Vigezzi
Paola Brani
Daniela Dalla Gasperina
Lorenzo Azzi
Cristina Giaroni
Davide Inversini
Giuseppe Pettinato
Matthew Massaad
Giulio Carcano
Giuseppe Ietto
Andreina Baj
author_sort Andrea Vigezzi
collection DOAJ
description A scoping review was conducted to systematically assess the current evidence and emerging applications of regenerative medicine in the treatment of End Stage Renal Disease (ERSD), aiming to map existing knowledge and identify key research gaps. ESRD represents a major global health burden, and despite being managed primarily through dialysis and kidney transplantation, both approaches are limited by morbidity, mortality, and organ donor shortages. Regenerative medicine emerged as a promising alternative, leveraging stem cells technologies and tissue engineering to develop functional renal tissues with the potential to restore or replace damaged kidney structures. Our review protocol was developed in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines and was prospectively registered on Figshare. Inclusion criteria comprised peer-reviewed articles published between 2004 and 2024, focusing on bioengineering strategies relevant to kidney regeneration and ESRD, with no restrictions on language or geographic origin. Editorials, letters, and non–peer-reviewed sources were excluded. A comprehensive literature search was performed in Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science using pre-defined search terms. Screening and selection were conducted independently by four reviewers working in pairs selected with discrepancies resolved through consensus. A standardized data extraction form was iteratively developed and piloted to collect relevant information on study characteristics and experimental models. Of the 5,869 records initially identified, 111 studies met the inclusion criteria. The findings underscore the therapeutic potential of regenerative medicine in ESRD, with kidney organoids and organ-on-a-chip platforms representing two of the most advanced and translationally relevant approaches currently under investigation. These technologies are increasingly recognized not only for their role in disease modeling and drug screening, but also as potential precursors to fully bioengineered renal replacement therapies.
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spelling doaj-art-fd42cf09473f41d186f4fe0d7224b7ea2025-08-20T03:51:25ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Endocrinology1664-23922025-07-011610.3389/fendo.2025.15497441549744Preclinical approaches in regenerative medicine for treating end-stage renal disease: a scoping reviewAndrea Vigezzi0Paola Brani1Daniela Dalla Gasperina2Lorenzo Azzi3Cristina Giaroni4Davide Inversini5Giuseppe Pettinato6Matthew Massaad7Giulio Carcano8Giuseppe Ietto9Andreina Baj10Department of Medicine and Technological Innovation, University of Insubria, Varese, ItalyDepartment of Medicine and Technological Innovation, University of Insubria, Varese, ItalyDepartment of Medicine and Technological Innovation, University of Insubria, Varese, ItalyDepartment of Medicine and Technological Innovation, University of Insubria, Varese, ItalyDepartment of Medicine and Technological Innovation, University of Insubria, Varese, ItalyDepartment of Medicine and Technological Innovation, University of Insubria, Varese, ItalyDivision of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United StatesDivision of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United StatesDepartment of Medicine and Technological Innovation, University of Insubria, Varese, ItalyDepartment of Medicine and Technological Innovation, University of Insubria, Varese, ItalyDepartment of Medicine and Technological Innovation, University of Insubria, Varese, ItalyA scoping review was conducted to systematically assess the current evidence and emerging applications of regenerative medicine in the treatment of End Stage Renal Disease (ERSD), aiming to map existing knowledge and identify key research gaps. ESRD represents a major global health burden, and despite being managed primarily through dialysis and kidney transplantation, both approaches are limited by morbidity, mortality, and organ donor shortages. Regenerative medicine emerged as a promising alternative, leveraging stem cells technologies and tissue engineering to develop functional renal tissues with the potential to restore or replace damaged kidney structures. Our review protocol was developed in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines and was prospectively registered on Figshare. Inclusion criteria comprised peer-reviewed articles published between 2004 and 2024, focusing on bioengineering strategies relevant to kidney regeneration and ESRD, with no restrictions on language or geographic origin. Editorials, letters, and non–peer-reviewed sources were excluded. A comprehensive literature search was performed in Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science using pre-defined search terms. Screening and selection were conducted independently by four reviewers working in pairs selected with discrepancies resolved through consensus. A standardized data extraction form was iteratively developed and piloted to collect relevant information on study characteristics and experimental models. Of the 5,869 records initially identified, 111 studies met the inclusion criteria. The findings underscore the therapeutic potential of regenerative medicine in ESRD, with kidney organoids and organ-on-a-chip platforms representing two of the most advanced and translationally relevant approaches currently under investigation. These technologies are increasingly recognized not only for their role in disease modeling and drug screening, but also as potential precursors to fully bioengineered renal replacement therapies.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2025.1549744/fullbioengineeringkidneyorganoidsregenerativestem
spellingShingle Andrea Vigezzi
Paola Brani
Daniela Dalla Gasperina
Lorenzo Azzi
Cristina Giaroni
Davide Inversini
Giuseppe Pettinato
Matthew Massaad
Giulio Carcano
Giuseppe Ietto
Andreina Baj
Preclinical approaches in regenerative medicine for treating end-stage renal disease: a scoping review
Frontiers in Endocrinology
bioengineering
kidney
organoids
regenerative
stem
title Preclinical approaches in regenerative medicine for treating end-stage renal disease: a scoping review
title_full Preclinical approaches in regenerative medicine for treating end-stage renal disease: a scoping review
title_fullStr Preclinical approaches in regenerative medicine for treating end-stage renal disease: a scoping review
title_full_unstemmed Preclinical approaches in regenerative medicine for treating end-stage renal disease: a scoping review
title_short Preclinical approaches in regenerative medicine for treating end-stage renal disease: a scoping review
title_sort preclinical approaches in regenerative medicine for treating end stage renal disease a scoping review
topic bioengineering
kidney
organoids
regenerative
stem
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2025.1549744/full
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