This week’s articles describe a stem cell–based therapy for chronic kidney disease and targets for treating diabetic nerve pain and acute respiratory distress in critically ill patients.
KIDNEY DISEASE
Cell therapy for renal anemia
Hitomi et al. report that transplantation of iPSC-derived cells that secrete functional erythropoietin may relieve anemia in patients with chronic kidney disease.
DIABETIC NEUROPATHY
Taking diabetic pain to heart
Tsantoulas et al. found that blocking HCN2 ion channels in peripheral sensory neurons reduces pain sensitivity in mouse models of diabetic neuropathy.
THROMBOSIS
Rip 'n’ roll
Yuan et al. show that inhibiting cell death pathways in platelets may limit neutrophil aggregation and prevent pulmonary thrombosis in patients with intestinal ischemia.