Cultured nerve tissue can be used in ALS studies
With the aid of a 3D printer, researchers at Uppsala University have succeeded in creating a model that resembles human nerve tissue. The model, which can be cultured from the patient’s own cells, makes it possible to test new drug treatments in a lab environment.
Photo: Tobias Sterner/Bildbyrån
In a new study published in the International Journal of Bioprinting, researchers have shown that it is now possible to use 3D printers to make models, called organoids, that resemble human nerve tissue. These motor neuron organoids can for example be used in research or to test new drugs against neurodegenerative disease such as ALS. In the study, the researchers present a step-by-step protocol for how to produce more advanced and standardised models of nerve tissue in 3D.
“It’s important for research and drug testing to be able to print a large number of organoids in a reproducible way. Our method also makes it possible to include other types of nerve cells including glial cells, which can pave the way for more complete models of the spinal cord,” says Elena Kozlova, who has led the study.
The study is a collaboration with researchers in Gothenburg, Norway, the UK and Switzerland.