Fractal geometry may help kidney cells grow into a more mature form

A University of Toronto team used fractal-patterned surfaces to encourage podocytes to develop more branched, mature features; the study was published in Nature Communications.

Researchers at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Toronto developed lab surfaces patterned with fractal shapes to encourage specialized kidney cells to adopt a more branched, mature form. The approach addresses a longstanding challenge because podocytes grown on flat culture surfaces typically remain immature. Podocytes are highly branched cells in the glomerulus that help the kidney filter blood while retaining key proteins, and loss of their branching is associated with declining kidney function. The study was led by Mary Chuan Liu with Professor Milica Radisic as corresponding author and was published in Nature Communications. Key findings: - The team reported that the kidney's filtering units and podocytes naturally show fractal, branching patterns, and that this structural complexity is reduced in disease. - Using tissue images as references, researchers designed fractal shapes on lab-made surfaces and compared podocytes grown on flat surfaces with those on fractal-patterned surfaces. - Podocytes cultured on fractal topography showed more branched morphology, higher expression of functional markers, and enhanced cell polarity, as reported. - The authors describe geometry itself as a design tool that can guide how cells grow and mature in laboratory settings. - The study notes that more realistic lab-grown podocytes could improve disease modelling and support drug testing. Summary: The work indicates that recreating fractal geometry in culture can promote more mature podocyte features and could make laboratory models of kidney function more realistic. Wider validation and translation to practical applications are undetermined at this time.