Renal tubular regeneration by bone marrow-derived cells in a girl after bone marrow transplantation.

Recent studies have indicated that bone marrow cells can contribute to regeneration of the kidney in experimental models. However, renal regeneration by apparent bone marrow-derived cells has not been shown previously in humans. The authors here report on a 7-year-old girl who received whole bone marrow transplantation from a male donor, and the contribution of bone marrow cells to the regeneration after renal damage was shown by in situ hybridization for the Y chromosome on autopsy specimens of the kidney. This observation suggests the clinical potential of bone marrow cells as a therapeutic option for renal injury.