Cerebral cortex created from stem cells

Stem cells taken from human embryos have been used to form tissues of the cerebral cortex, the supreme control tower of the brain… The tissues self-organised into four distinct zones very similar to the structure seen in human foetuses, and conducted neuro-activity such as transmitting electrical signals…

The team's previous studies showed stem cells differentiated into distinct cells but until now they had never organised into functioning tissues… "Cultivated tissues are still insufficient and too small to be used to treat stroke patients. But study of in-vitro cultivation of more mature cortex tissues, such as those with six zones like in the adult human brain, will be stepped up…"

The tissues could also serve as "a mini organ" for use in studying the cause of the Alzheimer's disease and developing vaccines…

… cortex tissues were also obtained from "induced pluripotent stem cells," which are similar to embryonic stem cells but artificially induced, typically from adult cells such as skin cells… The team also succeeded in making cortex tissues from the embryonic stem cells of mice.

The findings of the study were published in the November 6 online journal Cell Stem Cell in the United States.