Artificial kidney precursor and process for production thereof

Abstract

The present invention provides an artificial kidney precursor containing a non-human mammalian metanephros separated out from a living body, wherein the metanephros has been subjected to freezing and thawing treatments outside a living body, and contains mammalian mesenchymal stem cells transferred outside a living body, and a method of production thereof.

1 . An artificial kidney precursor comprising a non-human mammalian metanephros separated out from a living body, wherein the metanephros has been subjected to freezing and thawing treatments outside a living body, and comprises mammalian mesenchymal stem cells transferred outside a living body. 
     
     
         2 . The artificial kidney precursor according to  claim 1 , wherein the metanephros is of a mammalian embryo in a stage where the expression of MHC is still immature. 
     
     
         3 . The artificial kidney precursor according to  claim 1 , wherein the precursor is capable of acquiring a potential for erythropoietin production when transplanted into an omentum of a mammal. 
     
     
         4 . A method of producing an artificial kidney precursor, comprising the steps of:
 (I) freezing a mammalian metanephros separated out from a living body;   (II) thawing the frozen mammalian metanephros; and   (III) transferring mammalian mesenchymal stem cells into the metanephros outside a living body before the freezing (I) or after the thawing (II).   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the metanephros used in (I) is a metanephros separated out from a mammalian embryo in a stage where the expression of MHC is still immature. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the artificial kidney precursor is capable of acquiring a potential for erythropoietin production when transplanted into an omentum of a mammal.