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Scientists are believed to have grown the kidney of a foetus in a laboratory by manipulating stem cells and this could come as a huge relief to patients suffering from kidney diseases or diabetes.

This experiment could turn out to be a breakthrough and ease the demand for organs such as the kidney, especially for a transplant, in case it turns out to be a success.

The experiment could take a few more trials to prove its efficacy and there is no reason for diabetics and kidney patients to erupt in joy in the near term.

If we go by the current trends, regulatory approvals could take at least five years and it may take another five years for it to become commercially viable. And to reach India, it may be another two years. So, there is quite a bit of waiting to do.

A research team at Edinburgh University in Scotland made use of stem cells, which are said to be the building blocks of our body, to form kidneys.

The new organs are about one cm in length, which is equal to the size of the kidney in a foetus. According to the scientists, these mini kidneys may grow into full-length kidneys once they are transplanted into a patient, though they cannot confirm the claim.

The kidneys were produced with a combination of cells from amniotic fluid — the fluid that encompasses babies when they are inside their mother’s womb. The fluid even surrounds animal foetal cells.

If a patient develops a kidney disease, his or her own amniotic fluid cells can help create a new kidney. The use of the patient’s own cell will also help do away with the problem of rejection.

Lead scientist Jamie Davies said, “We want to begin with human stem cells and see a functioning organ. We are working on how to transform cells floating about in liquid into something as complicated as a kidney.” He further revealed, “We have made good progress: we can make a foetal kidney but not an adult one.”

“Right now, we throw amniotic fluid away when babies are born. But if we preserve and freeze it, it could help build kidneys for every person,” he said. The amniotic fluid of a particular person will come to his aid only.

According to the scientist, this method will be substantially cheaper when compared to the cost of dialysis.

There are of course the beneficial aspects of this therapy. Like in the case of a kidney transplant, there is the risk of rejection, which will prompt a patient to scout for an entirely new kidney.

But in this experiment, there is no question of rejection as the kidney is made from the patient’s own cell.

However, scientists have successfully created the kidney of a foetus and not that of an adult and there is no guarantee they will succeed in generating the kidney of an adult.