Revolutionizing Brain Science: The Multi-Region Breakthrough
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have engineered the first functional "whole-brain" organoid with integrated vascular structures, moving beyond single-region models (e.g., cortex-only organoids). Dubbed the multi-region brain organoid (MRBO), this system interconnects neural tissues across key areas—including the forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain—while mimicking early blood vessel formation.
Engineering the "Bio-Glued" Brain
To construct the MRBO, scientists:
Generated specialized neural cells representing distinct brain regions in separate cultures.
Assembled tissues using adhesive "bio-glue" proteins, enabling cross-region neural connections during development.
Observed emergent functions: Electrically active networks and coordinated neural responses, confirming whole-organ communication.
Key Innovations & Biological Fidelity
Cellular diversity: Matches ~80% of cell types in a 40-day human fetal brain.
Vascular milestone: Early blood-brain barrier formation—critical for drug permeability studies.
Scaled complexity: Though tiny (6–7 million neurons vs. 86 billion in adults), the MRBO’s interregional connectivity offers transformative disease modeling.
Targeting Neuropsychiatric Disorders
"Conditions like autism or schizophrenia affect the entire brain—not isolated zones," notes the team. The MRBO allows:
Tracking disease origins across neural networks.
Identifying novel therapeutic targets for currently untreatable disorders.
Slashing Drug Failure Rates
Neuropsychiatric drugs face a 96% Phase I clinical trial failure rate, largely due to:
Animal models’ poor translation to human biology.
Lack of human-like blood-brain barrier screening.
→ Solution: MRBOs enable high-fidelity drug testing on human tissue, accelerating safer, effective treatments.
Next Frontiers
Researchers aim to:
Scale up neuron counts and vascular complexity.
Model later developmental stages (beyond 40-day equivalence).
Collaborate with pharma to validate drug candidates.
"The MRBO bridges a critical gap between isolated brain-region studies and systemic neurological disease research. For the first time, we can observe cross-brain dysfunction in autism or schizophrenia—and intercept it."
— Advanced Science commentary
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