Scientists have successfully cultured the first pea-sized three-dimensional replica of the human brain called "mini brains." The laboratory grown 'mini brains' is regarded as an advancement towards better understanding the way human brain works as well as a possible tool in plotting the progression of certain mental maladies including Alzheimer's, autism, and schizophrenia that are very hard to study in the laboratory, Fox News reported Wednesday.
An Australia-based research team used human stem cells in realizing this 'mini brains' advancement. They cultured the stem cells in the laboratory, and they were able to successfully come up with a human brain replica although not as big and as elaborate as the real one. The scientists called the lab-grown brains as "cerebral organoids" or quite simply 'mini brains.'
"It would be like a car with the engine on the roof, the gear box in the trunk and an exhaust pipe that points to the front," said leader of the research team Jürgen Knoblich during a presentation at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. "You can still use such a car to study how an engine works."
The 'mini brains' is not really comparable to the real human brain for many reasons than one. It's parts and sections are not necessarily organized like those of a real human brain, The Wall Street Journal stated.
The research, which was officially documented in the journal Nature is projected to aid reaserchers in their laboratory investigation and experiments on the human brain's functionality and the many facets of brain diseases - one thing that scientists claim as the most difficult thing to do at the moment, granting that they are resorting to the use of mice, rats, and other animals for their studies involving the complexities of the human brain.
"This study offers the promise of a major new tool for understanding the causes of major developmental disorders of the brain ... as well as testing possible treatments," Professor of Clinical Neuroscience at Imperial College London Paul Matthews said.
Consultant Neurologist at Britain's John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford Zameel Cader also expressed his amazement to the 'mini brains' study, describing the research as "fascinating and exciting."
Cader also uttered the possibility that the 'mini brains' study could pave the way for more stem cell technologies that would provide a more comprehensive understanding of mental disorders, adding that it could also lead to the development of new drugs for certain brain conditions and diseases.
Dr. Knoblich and his team described the technique and approach they used in generating the so-called "cerebral organoids" in the Nature. . As stated on the paper, the scientist involved in the study cultured he brain tissue from a microencephaly or microcephaly patient - a disorder characterized with a very under-developed human brain as manifested by its small size.
The cultivation process begins with the culture of neuroectoderm tissue, which is embedded in a scaffold and placed inside a spinning bioreactor. Within the first month, the fragments develop into recognizable brain regions including cerebral cortex, retina, choroid plexus, and many more. Then, the fragments grow to a maximum size of around 0.16 inches after two months' time.
Scientists maintain that although 'mini brains' may not seem to resemble in detail structure a fully grown human brain, it is able to generate distinct neural tissue types and firing neurons.
"Saying you can replicate the workings of the brain with some tissue in a dish in the lab is like inventing the first abacus and saying you can use it to run the latest version of Microsoft Windows - there is a connection there, but we're a long way from that sort of application yet," Lecturer in Psychiatry at Cardiff University Dean Burnett said.
Dr. Knoblich is also famous for his experiments on the human embryonic stem cells in the past using embryonic cells that have been reprogrammed from mature tissue.
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