Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM) scientists have developed a 3D brain organoid that could have potential applications in drug discovery and disease modeling. This is the first engineered tissue equivalent to closely resemble normal human brain anatomy, containing all six major cell types found in normal organs including, neurons and immune cells.
In a study published this month in Scientific Reports, the researchers report that their advanced 3D organoids promote the formation of a fully cell-based, natural and functional barrier – the blood brain barrier – that mimics normal human anatomy.