The pancreas is small, but almost real
Scientists have grown a working pancreas
Copper news
A group of scientists from the University of Copenhagen has developed an innovative 3D method for growing the pancreas from progenitor cells. According to the authors who published their work (Greggio et al., Artificial three-dimensional niches deconstruct pancreas development in vitro) in the journal Development, in the future this method may help in testing antidiabetic drugs and creating a bioengineered pancreas.
According to scientists, previous studies have shown the possibility of producing pancreatic cell precursors, but attempts to multiply them and differentiate them into insulin-producing beta cells have been unsuccessful.
Researchers have created a unique technology that allows the effective growth of mouse pancreatic cells in a three-dimensional gel environment. The developed method has great potential for the production of miniature pancreas from human stem cells.
Such mini-versions of organs, according to scientists, will be useful as a model for studying the effects of new drugs, and without the need to test drugs on animals.
According to the data of the conducted studies, for the formation of such a mini-organ, it is necessary that at least four cells of the pancreas are located next to each other. According to scientists, under optimally selected conditions, the initial complexes of several cells multiply up to 40 thousand in one week.
"After a period of active growth, the cells of such an organoid are transformed, acquiring the ability to produce digestive enzymes or hormones, such as insulin, and self–organize into an extensive network of islets that are surprisingly similar to the pancreatic system," Professor Anne Grapin-Botton, a leading researcher (New 3-D Method Used to Grow Miniature Pancreas).
According to the authors, this method is an important step towards the production of beta cells for the treatment of type I diabetes mellitus, since with its help it will be possible to test experimental antidiabetic drugs without experiments on animals and grow bioengineered cell complexes for transplantation to patients whose bodies do not produce insulin. Scientists are going to continue their work and adapt this method for human stem cells.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru21.10.2013