Kidney Repair and Regeneration: Models and Mechanisms

In this symposium we will discuss mechanisms of tissue injury in the kidney and how these injuries can be repaired and the renal tissue regenerated. Mechanisms of regeneration will be an important focus of the symposium. We will address the technical problems of the different experimental approaches for renal regeneration.  Stem cell technology, organoids and the process of specific differentiation of the different compartments in the kidney will be discussed. Of special interest is the role of the renal vasaculture, especially the endothelium in the kidney.  Another important topic will be the role on monocytes and macrophages in the repair mechanisms of the kidney.  Last, but not least, we will discuss the influence of aging on mechanisms of repair and regeneration.  Our discussions will focus on the translational aspects of this research and pre-clinical and clinical approaches will be presented.