# KULMAP: Human Kidney, urinary tract and lung mapping center

> **NIH NIH U54** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · 2021 · $100,000

## Abstract

Project Summary: The kidney nerves and lymphatics use blood vessels as conduits to reach their
target sites of action including the vasculature, epithelial cells and interstitium. The lymphatics have
important roles in immunomodulation and the kidney sensory and sympathetic nerves closely interact
with target sites to regulate glomerular filtration, blood pressure and sense imbalances in metabolic
derangements or physical obstruction. A three-dimensional (3D) atlas of regional and cellular
distribution and neuroeffector sites in healthy kidneys is essential to understand the different
pathological conditions and diseases due to their abnormal activities. However, these structures are
not currently being studied in the kidney and pose a specific challenge due to the need for their
assessment in meso (cm) and micro (microns) scale. The purpose of this supplement is to generate
3D-volumetric imaging data of sympathetic and sensory renal nerves and their relationship with the
blood vessels, lymphatics and functionally important target cell types by leveraging resources of
SPARC, HuBMAP and our technological innovations in applying 3D multiplexed immunofluorescence
microscopy on large pieces of kidney tissue using Lightsheet microscopy. The neurovascular
segmentation, scaffold building and quantitative visualization provided by SPARC will pave the way for
broader efforts of similar goals for other HuBMAP organs. The importance of a spatial neurovascular
atlas is of prime interest as targeted renal nerve ablation approaches are in clinical trials to treat
hypertension and prevent progression of chronic kidney diseases.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10413584
- **Project number:** 3U54HL145608-04S2
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Sanjay Jain
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $100,000
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2018-09-25 → 2022-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10413584

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10413584, KULMAP: Human Kidney, urinary tract and lung mapping center (3U54HL145608-04S2). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-14 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10413584. Licensed CC0.

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