Strategies towards Kidney Tissue Biofabrication

Abstract The kidney is one of the most important organs for maintaining body fluid homeostasis and excretion of metabolic wastes. Three-dimensional (3D) biofabrication of kidney with morphological and functional complexities is an extremely challenging task. Advances in 3D biofabrication of renal tissues, using biomaterials and different cells including cell lines as well as those derived from human embryonic stem cells and human induced pluripotent stem cells, have shown remarkable promise for kidney tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications. Here, we briefly present the structures and functions of the kidney and discuss the latest advances in 3D biofabrication of its functional and structural units. The limitations of these biofabrication strategies, challenges such as vascularization, and future perspectives of kidney tissue biofabrication towards both in vitro and in vivo applications, are discussed.