Photo: Organs

Rat Kidneys Made in Lab

A recent development in bioengineering has resulted in the production of replacement kidneys that function in rats. This has a great potential for a shortage of organ donations in humans. You can read about this in this article.

About 17,000 people with end-stage kidney disease receive a donor organ each year in the United States, but more than five times as many patients are on waiting lists. In 2011, nearly 5,000 people died while awaiting transplants. Bioengineered kidneys, especially if made using nonhuman sources, could ease or eliminate this organ shortage.