| ■ Functioning Human Brain Cells Created From Stem Cells | 2008.11.11 |
| In a world first, scientists in Japan created functioning human brain tissues from stem cells. The success raises hopes for new treatments for stroke and other brain disorders. The scientists used human embryo stem cells to form tissues of the cerebral cortex, which plays a vital role in memory, attention, perceptual awareness, thought, language, and consciousness, Agence France Presse reported. The tissues "self-organized" into four separate zones similar to the structure seen in human fetuses. The tissues also conducted neuro-activity, such as transmitting electrical signals, said the team at the Riken Center for Developmental Biology in Kobe. The findings were published online Thursday in the journal Cell Stem Cell. "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 Riken Center said in a news release, AFP reported. |