The mRNA levels of markers of renal stem cell CD133 (Fig. 5a), CD24 (Fig. 5b), and Osr1 (Fig. 5c) and pluropotency (Nanog, Fig. 5d) were increased in the remnant kidney of 5/6 nephrectomy CKD rats and further increased 3-5 folds by icariin treatment (Fig. 5). The gene discussed is OSR1; the disease is chronic kidney disease.