Growing human brains from stem cells

For the first time in the laboratory, scientists in Austria have grown mini human brains from stem cells.

This success has opened up hope for neuroscientists to better understand how the human brain develops and identify the causes of neurological disorders, such as schizophrenia, depression and autism.

(Source: Reuters)

To create brain tissue, two scientists, Juergen Knoblich and Madeline Lancaster of the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (Austria) and colleagues at the University of Edinburgh (UK), grew human stem cells in the laboratory with a special combination of nutrients.

These nutrients are designed to take advantage of the cells' innate ability to form the structures of complex organs.

The team created neuroectoderm, the layer of cells in the embryo that forms the basis for the development of all parts of the brain and nervous system.

Pieces of this tissue are then placed into a “scaffold” and placed in a rotating bioreactor (a system that circulates oxygen and nutrients) that allows the stem cell tissue to grow into brain organoids.

After one month, the tissue fragments had formed primitive structures, which were the development of brain regions such as the reticular formation, choroid plexus, and cerebral cortex.

A month later, these brain cell structures reach their maximum size of about 4 mm. Although they are very small and still a long way from being as sophisticated and complex as a fully developed human brain, these brain cell structures already contain neurons and distinct types of neural tissue.

Experts in the research team said they have not thought about creating a complete human brain, but the team's goal is to analyze the development of the human brain and create models of neurological disorders such as depression, autism or schizophrenia, thereby discovering the causes of important developmental dysfunctions of the brain, as well as testing effective treatment methods for millions of patients around the world./.

According to (TTXVN) - VT