Kidney development and function: ECM cannot be ignored.

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is an essential network entity surrounding and supporting cells to guarantee their physiological function and homeostasis. It is important to choose the most appropriate ECM for in vitro experiments of mammalian cells for tissue engineering and functional analyses. Although most studies have examined optimization of the correct ECM that can be used to assess mammalian cells, a comprehensive study has not been conducted. In this review, we present the factors to be taken into consideration when designing or optimizing an appropriate ECM for development and maintenance of kidney tissues and compare the previously reported ECMs.