A proof-of-concept assay for quantitative and optical assessment of drug-induced toxicity in renal organoids.

Kidneys are complex organs, and reproducing their function and physiology in a laboratory setting remains difficult. During drug development, potential compounds may exhibit unexpected nephrotoxic effects, which imposes a significant financial burden on pharmaceutical companies. As a result, there is an ongoing need for more accurate model systems.

Augmented Enterocyte Damage During and Coinfection.

The human gut acts as the main reservoir of microbes and a relevant source of life-threatening infections, especially in immunocompromised patients. There, the opportunistic fungal pathogen adapts to the host environment and additionally interacts with residing bacteria. We investigated fungal-bacterial interactions by coinfecting enterocytes with the yeast and the Gram-negative bacterium resulting in enhanced host cell damage.