Johns Hopkins scientists grow novel 'whole-brain' organoid
9 months ago
- #organoid-research
- #neuroscience
- #drug-development
- Johns Hopkins University researchers developed a novel whole-brain organoid with neural tissues and rudimentary blood vessels.
- The multi-region brain organoid (MRBO) includes tissues from each brain region, connected and functioning together.
- This breakthrough enables better study of neuropsychiatric disorders like autism and schizophrenia using human cell-based models.
- The organoids mimic early human brain development, resembling a 40-day-old fetus's brain with 80% cell type representation.
- Researchers observed early blood-brain barrier formation in the organoids, crucial for controlling molecule passage.
- Whole-brain organoids could improve drug testing success rates, currently low due to reliance on animal models.
- The organoids allow real-time observation of disorder development and personalized therapy testing.