Figure 1.

Workflow of design and fabrication of the biofunctionalized electrospun polymer scaffolds for kidney proximal tubule grafts. a) A kidney contains 200 000–1 000 000 functional units, the nephrons. After blood filtration through the glomerulus, active secretion of metabolic waste products takes place between the proximal tubules and peritubular capillaries. While filtration can be replaced by hemodialysis, active secretion requires proximal tubule cells as part of advanced renal replacement therapies. b) Solution electrospinning was used to fabricate tubular scaffolds with different polymer concentrations. Two cell lines of proximal tubular epithelial cells were injected for luminal epithelialization to construct implantable kidney tubule drafts. c) Scaffold properties and cell behavior were examined regarding mechanical properties, epithelialization, long-term viability, and renal functionality.