Lab-Grown Human Brain Organoids Go Animal-Free
Researchers have innovated a method to produce lab-grown mini brains, known as human brain organoids, free of animal cells, promising a more accurate study and treatment of neurodegenerative conditions.
Previously, brain organoids were grown using a substance derived from mouse sarcomas called Matrigel, leading to inconsistencies due to its undefined composition and variability. The new method uses an engineered extracellular matrix free of animal components, improving the neurogenesis of brain organoids.
This breakthrough allows for more accurate replication of human brain conditions and could open doors for personalized treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS and Alzheimer’s.
The foundational extracellular matrices of the research team’s brain organoids were comprised of human fibronectin, a protein that serves as a native structure for stem cells to adhere, differentiate and mature. They were supported by a highly porous polymer scaffold.
Using proteomics, researchers found their brain organoids developed cerebral spinal fluid, a clear liquid that flows around healthy brain and spinal cords. This fluid more closely matched human adult CSF compared to a landmark study of human brain organoids developed in Matrigel.
https://neurosciencenews.com/brain-organoid-animal-free-23624/
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