Mapping the arterial vascular network in an intact human kidney using hierarchical phase-contrast tomography
The architecture of kidney vasculature is essential the organ's specialised functions, yet is challenging to structurally map in an intact human organ. Here, we combined hierarchical phase-contrast tomography (HiP-CT) with topology network analysis to enable quantitative assessment of the intact human kidney vasculature, from the renal artery to interlobular arteries. Comparison with kidney vascular maps described for rodents revealed similar topologies to human, but human kidney vasculature possessed a significantly sharper decrease in radius from hilum to cortex, deviating from theoretically optimal flow resistance for smaller vessels. Structural differences in kidney hilar, medullary and cortical vasculature reflected unique functional adaptations of each zone. This work represents the first time the arterial vasculature of an intact human kidney has been mapped beyond segmental arteries, potentiating novel computational models of kidney vascular flow in humans. Our analyses have implications for understanding how blood vessel structure collectively scales to facilitate specialised functions in human organs.
Authors
- Joseph Brunet (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8424-9510)
- Joseph Jacob (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8054-2293)
- Rebecca J. Shipley (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2818-6228)
- Yang Zhou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5474-9605)
- Paul Tafforeau (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5962-1683)
- Claire Walsh (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3769-3392)
- Shahrokh Rahmani (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5773-7076)
- Alexandre Bellier (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0907-0315)
- David A. Long (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6580-3435)
- Danny Jonigk (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5251-2281)
- Maximilian Ackermann (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9996-2477)
- Daniyal J. Jafree (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8235-0394)
- Sonal Nandanwar
- Peter Lee (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3898-8881)
Institutions
- Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (DE)
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (FR)
- Wellcome Sanger Institute (GB)
- University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (DE)
- Kidney Care UK (GB)
- Helios Universitätsklinikum Wuppertal (DE)
- German Center for Lung Research (DE)
- The London College (GB)
- CRUK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence (GB)
- University College London (GB)
- Imperial College London (GB)
- RWTH Aachen University (DE)
- Université Grenoble Alpes (FR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- npj Imaging
- Published
- 2025-09-03
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s44303-025-00090-2
- Citations
- 5
- Primary Topic
- Pediatric Urology and Nephrology Studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 17.47
Funders
- Silicon Valley Community Foundation
- Wellcome Trust
- Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
- National Institute for Health and Care Research
- Royal Academy of Engineering
- Foulkes Foundation
- University College London
- Rosetrees Trust
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility
- Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children
- Medical Research Council