Cells grown in petri dishes could allow researchers to observe the effects of drugs on neural activity as well as on the health and function of brain cells Miniature brains that note electrical activity akin to “a primitive type of thinking” could revolutionise how some drugs are tested and reduce the need for animals in research,according to scientists who have developed the structures.
Each ball of human brain cells - in all approximately the size of the head of a ballpoint pen - “represents more or less a two-month-old brain” of a foetus, Prof Thomas Hartung of Johns Hopkins University said, and presenting the work at the American organization for the Advancement of Science conference . The cultures also note “spontaneous electrophysiological activity” – their neurons zap off electrical signals to each other without prompting.
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Source: theguardian.com