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Kidney and organoid single-cell transcriptomics: the end of the beginning

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Abstract

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technologies are increasingly being applied to reveal cellular heterogeneity in kidney development and disease. In just the last year, multiple scRNA-seq datasets have been generated from kidney organoids, developing mouse and human kidney, adult kidney, and kidney cancer. The data generated enables a much deeper understanding of biological processes within and between cells. It has also elucidated unforeseen cell lineage relationships, defined the presence of off-target cell types in kidney organoids, and revealed a diverse inflammatory response in a human kidney allograft undergoing rejection. This review summarizes the recent rapid progress in scRNA-seq of the kidney and outlines future directions for single-cell technologies as applied to the kidney.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University in Saint Louis School of Medicine, 660. S Euclid Ave., CB 8118, St. Louis, MO, USA

    Parker C. Wilson

  2. Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in Saint Louis School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave., CB 8126, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA

    Benjamin D. Humphreys

  3. Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University in Saint Louis School of Medicine, 660. S Euclid Ave., CB 8103, St. Louis, MO, USA

    Benjamin D. Humphreys

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Correspondence to Benjamin D. Humphreys.

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Wilson, P.C., Humphreys, B.D. Kidney and organoid single-cell transcriptomics: the end of the beginning. Pediatr Nephrol 35, 191–197 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00467-018-4177-y

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