A University of Saskatchewan researcher is using a new method to build tiny pseudo-organs from stem cells in order to diagnose and treat Alzheimer’s and other brain-related diseases.
Dr. Tyler Wenzel (PhD) initially conceived the idea of creating a miniature brain from stem cells without foreseeing the success of his creations.
Now, Wenzel’s “mini-brain” has the potential to transform the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s and other brain-related diseases. rnrn
Wenzel, a postdoctoral fellow in the College of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry, came up with the concept for the “mini-brain” — also known as a unique cerebral organoid model — while working under the guidance of Dr. Darrell Mousseau (PhD). He expressed his surprise at the success of the idea, stating, “Never in our wildest dreams did we think that our crazy idea would work. These could be used as a diagnostic tool, built from blood.”
Human stem cells have the ability to transform into nearly any type of cell in the human body. Wenzel utilized stem cells derived from human blood to create a small artificial organ — a groundbreaking development in the field of medicine.
About three millimetres in size and looking like a piece of chewed gum that someone has tried to smooth out again.
These “mini-brains” are made by generating stem cells from a blood sample and then converting them into functioning brain cells. Using small synthetic organoids for research is not a new idea — but the “mini-brains” created in Wenzel’s lab are special. As described in Wenzel’s recent article in Frontiers of Cellular Neuroscience, the brains from Wenzel’s lab consist of four different types of brain cells, while most brain organoids consist of only.
The “mini-brains” developed by Wenzel were found to be more representative of the adult human brain in testing, making them useful for studying neurological conditions in adult patients, including Alzheimer’s disease.
Wenzel also discovered that “mini-brains” generated from the stem cells of individuals with Alzheimer’s exhibited the characteristics of the disease, albeit on a smaller scale.
Wenzel posed the question of whether it was possible to create an organ-like structure from stem cells, given their ability to develop into any cell in the human body.
During the development process, I had a wild thought that if these are actual human brains, then if a patient had a disease like Alzheimer’s and we grew their ‘mini-brain,’ then theoretically that small brain would also have Alzheimer’s,” Wenzel explained. This technology has the potential to revolutionize the way health services are delivered to those with Alzheimer’s, especially in remote areas, according to Wenzel. The Alzheimer Society of Canada has already shown support for this groundbreaking research. If Wenzel and his team can establish a consistent method for diagnosing and treating neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s using just a small blood sample – whichThe long shelf life of the product and its ability to be couriered could result in significant cost savings for the healthcare system and make it easier for patients who would otherwise have to travel to hospitals or specialized clinics.
“If this tool works as we expect, we could simply have a blood sample sent from La Loche or La Ronge to the university for diagnosis,” he stated.
The initial work on the “mini-brains” has shown great promise, so the next step for Wenzel is to expand testing to a larger group of patients.
The r rnrnResearchers are exploring ways to expand the scope of “mini-brain” research. According to Wenzel, if they can confirm that “mini-brains” accurately reflect other brain diseases or neurological conditions, they could potentially be used to speed up diagnoses or test the effectiveness of drugs on patients.
For example, Wenzel mentioned the long wait times to see a psychiatrist in Saskatchewan. If the “mini-brains” could be used to test which antidepressant works best on a patient with depression, it could significantly reduce the time needed to see a doctor and receive a prescription.
A former high schoolWenzel, a former high school science teacher who transitioned into the world of research and academia, described the thrill of developing a hypothesis and conducting experiments that excite him in his work. The success of the early “mini-brains” has been so remarkable that Wenzel admitted to struggling to fully comprehend it. He expressed disbelief but also stated that it is extremely motivating. Wenzel believes that the success of the “mini-brains” has the potential to impact society, create change, and shift the current landscape.
