With human cells as material, researchers from American have recently developed “mini” brain that has some of the features. This artificial organs can not only help scientists better detect drugs, but can also save a lot on the cost of laboratory animals.

 
Currently, about 95% drugs that were through animal experiments can not be successfully applied to humans, thus a lot of human and financial resources are needed. Thomas Hartung, toxicologist from Johns Hopkins University said: “Even if the drug is effective in rodents, but we are not a large rodent.”

 
By using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) technology, Hartung and his fellows reprogrammed the body cells into pluripotent stem cells and further differentiate into brain cells. The primitive cells are from healthy adults. Their next project, the researchers pointed out, is to induce cells extracted from people with certain genetic diseases, so that they can establish pathology and drug model of these diseases. Cells can be successfully cultured om the laboratory and each cell culture dish is capable of carrying 100 miniature brain. The size of each “organ” is of about 350 microns, equivalent to the size of the housefly’s eye. After about two months incubation, it can differentiate into four types of nerve cells and supporting cells. The researchers say that when the mini-brain is full-grown, it can be used as model for a variety of diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, autism, viral infections, external trauma and stroke, etc.

 
Though the idea itself is very bold, but it’s not original. Last year, researchers from Brown University have proposed a similar mini-brain model. However, researchers in John Hopper Hopkins University say their technology can be applied to commercial production. “We did not say we are the first to develop mini brain, not that our mini brain is the best. However, this is a model that is the most closest to the standard. In drug testing, the higher the degree of similarity between study model and human body, the more credible the data obtained will be.”