Researchers from the University of Oxford have accomplished a remarkable feat, employing 3D printing to create two-layered brain tissue using human neural stem cells. This breakthrough demonstrates their extensive expertise, built over a decade, in developing and patenting 3D printing technologies for synthetic tissues and cultured cells. Beyond showcasing their technological prowess, this innovation holds great promise for brain repair studies.
Upon implanting these 3D-printed brain tissues into mouse brain slices, they exhibited exceptional structural and functional integration with the host tissue. Notably, this integration was evidenced by the projection of neural processes and the migration of neurons across the implant-host boundary. Furthermore, the implanted cells displayed signaling activity that harmonized with that of the host cells, indicating effective communication between human and mouse cells.
This achievement serves as a pivotal bridge between in vitro studies of 3D printed cortical column development and their integration into brains in animal models of injury. In essence, this 3D printing project signifies a substantial step forward in the precise control of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to generate the fundamental functional units of the cerebral cortex. 3D Printing for Brain Repair is committed to leveraging 3D printing innovations to develop cost-effective medical technology for addressing the escalating worldwide crisis of brain damage caused by both trauma and diseases.
Source: ox.ac.uk
