Fig. 4

Direct differentiation of ADPKD-iPSCs into kidney-like cells (KLCs). (a) Scheme showing the stepwise protocol used for producing KLCs from ADPKD-iPSCs and the time needed. (b) Morphology of induced ADPKD-iPSCs is similar to podocytes and human kidney (HK2) cells. Bar = 100 μm. (c) Upregulation of marker genes of each stage during differentiation from iPSCs into functional KLCs. Values (mean of three replicates) are referred to the undifferentiated iPSCs. Data presented as mean ± standard deviation from three independent sets of experiments, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01. (b) Pluripotency of iPSCs decreased during induction to KLCs. Data are averages and standard deviations of three independent experiments. Values (mean of three replicates) are referred to the undifferentiated iPSCs. **P < 0.01. (e) Immunofluorescence and FCM results of marker genes of each step of induction. BRY is a marker of mesoderm cells; PAX2 a marker for intermesoderm cells; and synaptopodin, AQP1, and E-cadherin (E-CAD) are markers for KLCs. Bar = 50 μm. iPSC induced pluripotent stem cell, RA retinoic acid, REGM renal epithelium growth medium, ABVF Activin-A, BMP7, hVEGF and bFGF