In a groundbreaking new research in the field of biomedical engineering, scientists from the University of Wisconsin in Madison have made significant progress using innovative 3D printing technology to create brain tissue. This breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize the study of the brain, drug testing, and monitoring its development.
The method employed allows artificially printed cells to develop into functional neurons, enabling them to communicate with each other similar to real neurons in the human brain.
Creating an organ that closely resembles a natural brain is challenging due to the need to form functional connections between millions of neurons while maintaining a complex structure. To overcome this challenge, the researchers used a hydrogel made of fibrinogen and thrombin as a “bio-ink,” which ensured high cell survival and maturity. Unlike traditional 3D printing methods, the researchers adopted a horizontal printing technique, allowing for the formation of functional synaptic connections between neurons in different layers.
This approach offers precise control over the types and placement of cells, giving it an advantage over other methods of creating organoids. Additionally, the 3D printing technique employed in this study does not require specialized equipment or cultivation methods, making it accessible to a wide range of laboratories.
Using this technology, the scientists successfully reproduced various parts of the brain, including the cerebral cortex and striatum, and observed specific interactions between different types of cells.
The next steps in this research involve further improvement of the “Bio-Core” and printing equipment to ensure proper orientation of cells in the printed tissue. This advancement holds great potential for studying cell interactions in conditions like Down syndrome, the interaction between healthy and Alzheimer’s-affected cells, testing new drugs, and monitoring brain development.
The key concept behind this technology is that understanding brain function requires studying its network interactions, as cells do not operate in isolation but rather communicate with one another. This groundbreaking innovation has the potential to revolutionize the study of stem cell biology, neurons, and the pathogenesis of various neurological and psychiatric disorders.
The research results were published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, emphasizing the tremendous potential of 3D printing brain tissue as a powerful tool for scientific research.