Minibrains human brains, sometimes known as brain organoids, have the potential to further studies in neuroscience, pharmacology, and artificial intelligence.
Blobs of human brain tissue generated in a lab have made headlines during recent years. These bumps, known as brain organoids in the scientific community but more often as 'minibrains'. These organoids have the potential to advance fields as diverse as computer science, drug development, and basic medical study.
Yet, as researchers make these models increasingly complex, they raise concerns about the possibility that they may one day become too close to human brains and acquire awareness. 'Minibrains' are the subject of many ongoing research studies.
What are minibrains?
Miniature models of the human brain called "organoids" are created by reprogramming pluripotent stem cells in a laboratory. While organoids are far smaller than genuine brain tissue, they are able to recreate at least some of the characteristics of the real thing. As the organoids mature, several cell types typical of the brain, such as astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, begin to emerge, and the tissue architecture is strikingly comparable to that of a real brain, although simpler.
How are minibrains made?
Stem cells, a kind of immature cell that may give rise to any cell type, including blood, skin, gastrointestinal, and brain cells, are used in the creation of brain organoids in laboratories. According to a study published in the Journal of Biomedical Science in 2021, the stem cells used to cultivate organoids may be derived from either adult human cells or, more rarely, human embryonic tissue.
To achieve the latter, researchers first harvest adult cells and then subject them to chemicals that mimic the conditions seen in stem cells. Stem cells generated in this way are known as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) and may be coaxed into developing into any kind of tissue.
What is the purpose of growing minibrains?
There are several potential uses for minibrains. The globs of tissue are being used, for instance, in research into human embryonic development.
Because of this, researchers have developed brain organoids with structures resembling eyes, which they term "optic cups." In developing human embryos, the optic cup gives birth to the retina, which is responsible for seeing light. According to a recent study published in Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, minibrains may also be used to model conditions that impact adults, such as neurological infections, brain tumours, and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
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 "Photo: Stanford University")
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