Author: Diana Bletter  |  Published on: August 5, 2025

Israeli researchers at Sheba Medical Center and Tel Aviv University have achieved a global first by successfully growing long-term, lab-cultured human kidney tissue (organoids) using kidney-specific tissue stem cells. This innovation mirrors fetal kidney growth over 34 weeks, far surpassing previous models, which typically lasted only a month.

Key points:

• The organoids replicate the natural timeline and biological processes of developing kidneys in the womb, enabling real-time observation and analysis of kidney formation and disease.
• This platform allows scientists to investigate how congenital kidney defects arise, test drug toxicity during pregnancy, and potentially develop new, targeted therapies.
• The research team isolated kidney tissue stem cells—rather than pluripotent stem cells—allowing sustained, stable growth and maturation of kidney tissues such as blood filters and urinary ducts.
• The breakthrough offers promise for regenerative medicine: researchers foresee lab-grown kidney tissues for future transplantation and an “inexhaustible” supply of kidney cells for study and therapeutic use.
• Future goals include adding blood vessel networks to the organoids for greater biological realism, possibly enabling the growth of full-sized kidneys and reducing the need for animal testing and donor transplants.
• The work positions Israel at the forefront of regenerative organ science and opens the door to new treatments for chronic and congenital kidney disease, with broader implications for other organs.
• This advancement could revolutionize kidney disease treatment while providing unprecedented tools for research, drug safety, and personalized medicine.