Developmental abnormalities and diseases such as schizophrenia, ADHD and autism could become easier subjects in the future due to notable experiments carried out at Stanford University.
There, scientists have transplanted human brain cells into the brains of 100 newborn rat pups. Inside the skull, the cells develop and function in a way that resembles a human brain.
The scientists say this opens the possibility of new knowledge about mental illnesses, developmental disorders and at the same time improved methods of treatment, but they have now published their results in the scientific journal Nature .
Grow a brain
The scientists grew tiny models of the human brain in a laboratory, using stem cells that can develop into any cell type.
With precise control, the cells were able to make different types of brain cells, which in two months connected and formed a tissue reminiscent of the outermost layer of the brain, the cerebral cortex.
These microbrains were then injected into the skulls of 2-3 day old rat pups, but the brain is most receptive to shaping at such a young age.
Microbrain grew rapidly
In no time, the rat brains formed blood vessels that brought nutrients and signals to the human brain cells.
It could also be seen that in six months the human cells grew so much that they took up about a third of the volume of the other hemisphere of the rat’s brain.
Control the rats
After about two weeks of training, the rats were able to perform certain actions, such as sucking on a spout to get water. This was done by sending blue light to the human cells through an optical fiber.
It also turned out that the human brain cells sent signals to various eights, for example to activate the sensory hairs of the rats.
The scientists say it will cause a revolution if in the future it will be possible to test new drugs on microbrains that have been implanted in other organisms.
In this way, it will be easier to see how the brain cells work together and influence individual cells to observe how such control affects the animals’ behavior.
