Scientists from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have successfully created the most detailed single-cell atlas of the human kidney, capturing the complexity of both healthy and diseased kidneys at an unprecedented level and predicting the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the early stages of the disease. The latest research is expected to provide better diagnosis and precise treatment for CKD patients. The relevant paper was published in the recently published journal Nature Genetics. Scientists analyzed kidney samples from 81 patients aged between 24 and 90, totaling over 700000 cells. They used machine learning techniques to develop high-resolution maps that can integrate multiple omics data, map cellular and spatial information, identify tissue microenvironments, and develop models for predicting the progression of kidney disease. In both healthy and CKD affected kidneys, the research team identified 44 major cell types and 114 cell subtypes or states. They also identified four different spatial microenvironments based on gene expression: glomeruli, immunity, tubules, and fibrosis. Scientists have revealed genetic features in the fibrotic microenvironment and used these features to classify kidney samples for predicting future decline in kidney function. They plan to further define the fibrotic microenvironment, validate its predictive ability in other cohorts, and understand its potential mechanisms. Their goal is to explore therapeutic targets in the fibrotic microenvironment, paving the way for the development of new therapies to prevent or reverse renal fibrosis. The first author of the paper, Jonathan Levinsohn, stated that in the field of kidney health and disease research, the exploration of spatial distribution and molecular mechanisms is still insufficient, and further in-depth research is urgently needed. The latest map has drawn the first roadmap of the human kidney, which includes analysis of cellular spatial relationships. Levinson believes that although CKD is more common in the elderly, research shows that the risk of developing this disease begins to accumulate from pregnancy and childhood. Now, scientists have a powerful tool, especially in early kidney disease, which performs better than traditional histopathological analysis. (New Society)