Human organoids that mimic brain development grown for years in lab
A study published in Nature details the successful cultivation of brain organoids for over five years, which mirror human fetal and newborn brain development. Researchers observed that these organoids continue to mature and change in gene expression patterns over time.
Why it matters
This research provides a unprecedented long-term model for understanding human brain development and the biological mechanisms of aging and disease.
Rachel Fieldhouse is a reporter for Nature in Sydney, Australia.
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Bluesky Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Whatsapp X Save article View saved research Brain organoids grown in the laboratory from human cells matured and developed traits similar to those seen in fetal and newborn brains. Credit: Irene Faravelli and Noelia Antón-Bolaños
Researchers have grown brain organoids that mirror the development of the human brain for more than five years 1 — and are the longest-lived organs made in a laboratory, so far.
Until now, most brain organoids have been able to mimic only the early stages of the organ’s development and they usually start to die within months.
Growing organoids for so long is “an incredible feat”, says Maria Di Biase, a neuroscientist at the University of Melbourne in Australia. Watching them develop over time could help scientists to understand how diseases affect brain development.
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