World's Oldest Lab-Grown Human Brain Organoids Mature for Seven Years
Researchers have developed brain organoids that have survived and developed for up to seven years, a significant leap from previous limitations.
Scientists have cultivated lab-grown human brain organoids that have reached approximately seven years of development, far exceeding previous records for such biological models. This advancement, detailed in a recent publication in Nature, allows researchers to study the human brain's development over extended periods.
These organoids, described as peppercorn-sized cell clusters, mimic the structure and function of human brain tissue. Previously, these models typically survived for less than two years due to a lack of oxygen and a functional blood vessel system, while the human brain takes nearly two decades to fully mature. The research team, led by Paola Arlotta, a professor at Harvard University, combined cells from a one-year-old artificial brain with cells from a two-week-old brain.
According to Arlotta, the younger cells developed as expected, while the older cells appeared to accelerate their development. The organoids successfully produced neurons, a process that normally takes about four months in natural development, a phenomenon Arlotta described as a significant warping of time in the developmental process.
Organoids are crucial tools for scientific research, enabling the testing of new drugs, modeling of diseases, and the study of human development. Neuroscientist Guo-li Ming called the achievement a "technology breakthrough." Researchers have utilized brain organoids to study conditions like Alzheimer's disease, monitoring the formation of amyloid-beta and tau plaques. Arlotta expressed hope that this extended-duration organoid model will also provide insights into the progression of diseases such as schizophrenia.
While the current set of organoids has been destroyed, the researchers suggest that the cells have the potential to survive for even longer periods, though the ultimate time limit remains unknown. The study indicates that human brain organoids can record the passage of time using endogenous milestones and similar epigenetic mechanisms, demonstrating that diverse cell populations within organoids can develop over considerable time, capable of both recording and recalling their developmental age.