Title: Exploring the potentials of stem cell therapy for acute kidney injury

Acute kidney damage (AKI) is a serious medical condition that affects a large percentage of
hospitalised patients and has a high fatality rate. Utilising the special regenerative qualities of
stem cells to encourage tissue repair and functional recovery, stem cell therapy has become a
viable treatment option for kidney injury. This Learning Journal entry attempts to critically
examine, taking into account a number of variables and ethical considerations, the potential
benefits and drawbacks of stem cell therapy for AKI.

Possible Advantages of AKI Stem Cell Therapy:

a. Regenerative Potential: Renal cells are just one of the many cell types that stem cells can
differentiate into thanks to their amazing capacity for regeneration. It may be possible to
encourage tissue regeneration and repair by administering stem cells to the injured kidney
tissue, which would ultimately result in the restoration of kidney function (Liu et al., 2019).

b. Lessened Requirement for Dialysis: Rather than treating the underlying cause of kidney
damage, current AKI treatment options, like dialysis, concentrate on treating symptoms. By
targeting the underlying cause of AKI, stem cell therapy may be able to lessen the
requirement for long-term dialysis and its related side effects (Humphreys, 2020).

c. Personalised Medicine Approach: Based on variables such immunological compatibility,

underlying medical disorders, and the extent of kidney damage, stem cell therapy can be
customised for each patient. When compared to traditional medicines, this personalised
strategy may maximise therapeutic efficacy and minimise side effects (Bharadwaj et al.,
2019).

Issues and Restrictions with Stem Cell Therapy for AKI:

a. Security and Performance: Although stem cell therapy is a promising treatment option for
AKI, there are still many unanswered questions about its safety and effectiveness. To prove
the long-term safety and efficacy of stem cell-based therapies, robust clinical trials are
required, especially with regard to the risk of cancer and immunological rejection (Perico et
al., 2020).

b. Ethical Issues: The use of stem cells, especially embryonic stem cells, brings up moral
issues because it results in the death of human embryos. Furthermore, strict ethical oversight
and control are required due to the commercialization of stem cell therapies and the
possibility of exploiting weaker people (Lo & Parham, 2009).

c. Cost and Accessibility: At the moment, stem cell therapy is an expensive and experimental
therapeutic option, which makes it inaccessible to some patients, especially those with little
financial means. For stem cell-based therapies to be widely adopted, it is imperative that
financial obstacles be removed and that fair access be guaranteed (Miyamoto et al., 2019).

To sum up, stem cell therapy is a promising new treatment option for acute kidney injury that
may lead to better clinical results and tissue regeneration. But in order to guarantee the secure
and efficient application of stem cell-based therapies in clinical practice, important obstacles
and ethical issues need to be resolved.
Reference

Bharadwaj, S., Liu, G., Shi, Y., Markert, C., & Andersson, K. E. (2019). Atala A. Urinary
bladder smooth muscle regeneration utilizing bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cell
seeded elastomeric poly (1,8-octanediol-co-citrate) based thin films. Biomaterials, 196, 75-
90.

Humphreys, B. D. (2020). Acute kidney injury: Prophylaxis, treatment and outcome. Expert
Opinion on Pharmacotherapy, 21(5), 515-528.

Liu, B., Ding, F. H., Liu, Y. Q., Xiong, R., & Hu, Y. M. (2019). Advances and prospects of
mesenchymal stem cells for acute kidney injury. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine,
23(3), 1677-1687.

Lo, B., & Parham, L. (2009). Ethical issues in stem cell research. Endocrine Reviews, 30(3),
204-213.

Miyamoto, T., Sakai, H., Oshima, T., & Takayanagi, A. (2019). Current trends and future
prospects of stem cell therapy in dentistry. Journal of Oral Biosciences, 61(2), 79-85.

Perico, L., Morigi, M., & Benigni, A. (2020). Mitochondrial rejuvenation with stem cells.
Circulation Research, 126(3), 234-236.