Scientists have developed the world's first 3D printed brain tissue that functions like a human brain

Scientists have developed the world's first 3D printed brain tissue that functions like a human brain In a groundbreaking scientific effort, researchers have created the world's first 3D printed brain tissue that behaves like natural brain tissue. This is considered an important step towards developing advanced solutions for neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders. This will greatly aid research programs for scientists focused specifically on treatments for a wide range of neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. “This could be an extremely powerful model to help us understand how brain cells and parts of the brain communicate in humans,” said Su-Chun Zhang, professor of neuroscience and neurology at the Waisman Center at the University of Washington in Madison . an innovative approach. The 3D printer used by the scientists abandoned the traditional approach in favor of stacking layers horizontally. They placed the brain cells, neurons grown from induced pluripotent stem cells, in a softer “bioink” gel than used in previous attempts. “The tissue still has enough structure to hold together, but is soft enough for neurons to grow into each other and start communicating with each other,” Zhang added. Yuanwei Yan, a scientist in Zhang's lab, said the tissues were kept relatively thin, allowing the neurons to easily access sufficient oxygen and nutrients from the growth medium. Communication between neurons Neurons communicate with each other, send signals, interact through neurotransmitters and even form proper networks with support cells added to the printed tissue. “We printed the cerebral cortex and striatum and what we found was quite surprising,” Zhang said. “Even when we printed different cells belonging to different parts of the brain, they were still able to communicate with each other in a very special and specific way,” she added. According to experts, the printing technique offers an advanced level of precision not found in other approaches, including brain organoids and miniature organs used to study the brain. The technique offers control over cell types and arrangements, with proper organization and control. This provides scientists with flexibility in their research efforts, paving the way for radical advances in this field Read more…