Brain organoids on the conveyor belt

The possibilities of studying the properties of the human brain are extremely limited today. This is due to ethical norms prohibiting work on embryonic material, as well as the lack of a simple model that would sufficiently reflect the properties of the original object. Animal studies do not provide an accurate picture and can give an idea of the development, genetics and heterogeneity of the human brain only partially, and using single cells as a model does not make it possible to study the whole picture, simulate cellular interactions.

The most promising now is the use of artificially grown cerebral organoids – reduced and simplified "mini-brains" that allow us to understand more accurately what is happening in our brain compared to other models. However, the method of obtaining them is extremely costly and time-consuming, requires skills to work with pluripotent stem cells, as well as their reprogramming and differentiation according to a certain scenario.

Artificially colored image of a brain organoid slice obtained from cells of a patient with autism spectrum disorder. Photo: Alysson Muotri, UC San Diego Health.

Scientists at the Medical School of the California Institute of San Diego have developed a technique for creating cortical organoids directly from somatic cells, bypassing the stage of pluripotent stem cells, in 96-well tablets. In addition to the obvious simplification and cheapening of the process, this development allows you to get much more material in one cycle.

The researchers note that this technique opens up new perspectives in the study of the brain, including consciousness and its genetic component.

Article by Schukking et al. Direct generation of human cortical organoids from primary cells is published in Stem Cells and Development.

Anastasia Poznyak, portal "Eternal Youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru / based on the materials of UC San Diego Health Building a Better Brain-in-a-Dish, Faster and Cheaper.