‘Mini brains’ are now able to grow veins, show potential to help stroke patients
Just a few years ago, researchers were working on crude neural constructions of stem cells and proto-neurons mixed in a bath. These “brain balls” were rudimentary, but they helped the study of extreme brain disorders.
Now, scientists at the University of California, Davis have been able to grow vascularized human neural organoids. Ben Waldau, a vascular neurosurgeon at UC Davis Medical Center, and colleagues took brain membrane cells from patients—and then coaxed some of them into stem cells, then some of those into endothelial cells that line the inside of blood vessels.
An Wired article spells out the team’s achievements, with the introduction of a blood supply opening up new possibilities in the development of neural networks.
“The whole idea with these organoids is to one day be able to develop a brain structure the patient has lost made with the patient’s own cells,” said Waldau. “We see the injuries still there on the CT scans, but there’s nothing we can do. So many of them are left behind with permanent neural deficits—paralysis, numbness, weakness—even after surgery and physical therapy.”
Read the full story at Wired by following the link below:
Nicholas joined TriMed in 2016 as the managing editor of the Chicago office. After receiving his master’s from Roosevelt University, he worked in various writing/editing roles for magazines ranging in topic from billiards to metallurgy. Currently on Chicago’s north side, Nicholas keeps busy by running, reading and talking to his two cats.