Scientists have created a method for linking lab-grown neural ‘organoids’ using axonal bundles, similar to connections found in the human brain. This advancement will enhance the representation of brain networks in experimental settings, leading to better comprehension of network-related brain disorders.
The team has created a method for linking brain-like tissue grown in the lab in a way that mimics the circuits in our own brains.
Studying the exact mechanisms of brain development and function is a difficult task. Animal studies are limited by the differences in brain structure and function between species, and lab-grown brain cells often lack the typical connections found in the human brain. Furthermore, researchers are starting to recognize the importance of these connections between different brain regions and the circuits they form for many of the functions that define us as humans.
PriorResearch has attempted to replicate brain circuits in a laboratory setting, pushing the field forward. Scientists at The University of Tokyo have discovered a method to establish more realistic connections between lab-grown “neural organoids,” which are experimental tissues created from human stem cells to mimic the development of the brain in three dimensions. The team achieved this by connecting the organoids through axonal bundles, similar to the connections found in the human brain. In a single neural organoid grown in the lab, cells begin to exhibit simple electrical activity.The study’s co-lead author, Tomoya Duenki, stated that connecting two neural organoids with axonal bundles allowed the researchers to observe the contribution of bidirectional connections to generating and synchronizing activity patterns between the organoids. This demonstrated some similarity to connections between two regions within the brain. The cerebral organoids connected with axonal bundles exhibited more complex activity compared to single organoids or those connected using previous techniques. Furthermore, when the research team used optogenetics to stimulate the axonal bundles, the activity of the organoids was altered.The brain’s ability to adapt and change, also known as plasticity, was observed in both the axonal bundles and the organoids for an extended period of time. According to Yoshiho Ikeuchi, the senior author of the study, the research findings indicate the significance of axonal bundle connections in the development of complex networks. These complex brain networks play a crucial role in functions such as language, attention, and emotion. Understanding these networks is of great importance as alterations in them have been linked to various neurological and psychiatric conditions. Furthermore, studying lab-grown human neural circuits will enhance our understanding of brain networks.The way these networks develop and evolve in various situations is essential for understanding how to improve treatments for these conditions.
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