How did bioengineered kidneys in rats produce urine?

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stem cell research — regenerative medicine A scientist conducting research on stem cells.

In 2013, researchers successfully produced urine using bioengineered kidneys in rats by utilizing decellularized kidney scaffolds. These scaffolds were essential because they retained the organ's fundamental structure, including the cortical and medullary frameworks, the ureters, and the collecting tubules, which are responsible for concentrating and transporting urine from the nephrons.1

By seeding these natural scaffolds with appropriate cells, the bioengineered organs were able to function after transplantation into rat recipients, achieving approximately 5 percent of the function of a healthy kidney. This process is a significant example of regenerative medicine, which employs tissue engineering techniques to create biological substitutes for damaged or diseased organs.123