Tag

Organoids

All articles tagged with #organoids

science1 month ago•5 min saved

Stiffer Colon Tissues in Youth Linked to Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer

UT Dallas and UT Southwestern researchers found that colon tissue from younger colorectal cancer patients is abnormally stiff due to fibrotic collagen, in both tumor and nearby healthy tissue, and experiments with cells on stiff substrates and patient-derived organoids show stiffness promotes faster cancer growth; the study suggests biomechanical forces may contribute to rising cases of early-onset colorectal cancer and could guide future diagnosis and therapy, published in Advanced Science.

via SciTechDaily|

#biomechanics #collagen-remodeling #early-onset-colorectal-cancer

science1 month ago•5 min saved

Plant Compound DHL-11 Targets IMPDH2 to Halt Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

A plant-derived limonoid named DHL-11, isolated from Munronia henryi, binds a non-catalytic pocket on IMPDH2 to trigger its degradation, reduce GMP synthesis, elevate ROS and DNA damage, and induce G2/M arrest and apoptosis in triple-negative breast cancer cells. The compound also suppressed growth and metastasis in patient-derived organoids and in vivo TNBC models, marking it as a promising IMPDH2-targeted therapy for IMPDH2-positive tumors.

via SciTechDaily|

#dhl-11 #impdh2 #limonoids

science1 month ago•13 min saved

Beyond animal testing: NAMs reshape the path of science

Governments from the UK, US, and EU are accelerating plans to reduce or phase out animal testing, backed by rapid advances in new approach methodologies (NAMs) such as organs-on-chips, organoids, and AI-based models. Regulators are beginning to accept NAM data and fund or pilot related tools (e.g., FDA ISTAND), and industry is investing in human biology models. Yet experts warn that many biological systems remain too complex for non-animal methods, and full replacement will take time; the trend is a staged 3Rs-driven decline, not an immediate end to animal research.

via Nature|

#ai-in-toxicology #drug-safety-testing #nams

science1 month ago•4 min saved

Dancing molecules drive repair in lab-grown human spinal cords

Northwestern researchers grew 3-millimeter-wide human spinal cord organoids from iPSCs, injured them in two ways, and treated them with IKVAV-PA 'dancing' supramolecular peptides that form a scaffold and promote axon regrowth. The treated tissues showed reduced glial scar and inflammation and enhanced neurite growth, aligning with prior mouse data and suggesting potential for human therapies—though clinical use is years away. The work was published in Nature Biomedical Engineering.

via ScienceAlert|

#axon-regeneration #dancing-molecules #glial-scar

science2 months ago•6 min saved

Lab-grown human brain cells steer rat behavior in a first-of-its-kind integration

Scientists transplanted human brain organoids into developing rat embryos, enabling vascularization and functional integration that allowed the human cells to respond to stimuli and influence a rat’s behavior — a breakthrough for human-brain models, but raising ethical questions about consciousness, donor consent, and animal welfare.

via Indian Defence Review|

#brain #ethics #neuroscience

biotechnology2 months ago•11 min saved

Lab-grown liver assembloids edge toward miniaturized human livers

Researchers combine multiple donor liver cell types to form in vitro liver assembloids that recapitulate periportal tissue, moving toward miniature human livers for faster drug testing and personalized therapies.

via Nature|

#bioengineering #biotechnology #in-vitro

science2 months ago•96 min saved

Diverse autism mutations converge on a shared chromatin-regulation network in stem-cell–derived human cortex

A large hiPSC-based study generated cortical organoids from eight ASD-risk mutations, idiopathic ASD, and controls, profiling gene expression across 25–100 days. Early mutation-specific changes give way to convergent transcriptional and chromatin-regulatory disruptions enriched for ASD risk genes, including SWI–SNF components. CRISPRi validation supports key regulators driving this convergent network, suggesting that diverse genetic risks in ASD propagate through shared transcriptional pathways that affect early neurodevelopment, while idiopathic cases show less convergence.

via Nature|

#autism #crispr #ipsc

science2 months ago•4 min saved

Rapid Nasal Interferon Response May Stop Colds Before Symptoms Start

Lab-grown human nasal tissue reveals that an early interferon-driven antiviral defense in nasal cells can stop rhinovirus infection and prevent illness. When this response is fast, the virus is contained with few or no symptoms; if it lags, infection spreads, triggering inflammation and mucus. The findings point to therapies that boost the body's own defenses rather than targeting the virus itself.

via SciTechDaily|

#antiviral-defense #interferon #nasal-epithelium

science3 months ago•113 min saved

Human Assembloids Mimic Periportal Liver Tissue In Vitro

Researchers developed human liver assembloids combining hepatocytes, cholangiocytes, and mesenchyme to mimic periportal liver tissue in vitro, enabling patient-specific disease modeling and functional studies, including fibrosis.

via Nature|

#cell-interactions #human-liver-disease #liver-tissue-models

science4 months ago•5 min saved

Research Reveals Innate Structures in Human Brain Development

Scientists found that human brain circuits produce ordered electrical patterns even before sensory experiences, suggesting that our brains are prewired with internal timing rules for understanding the world, as demonstrated through experiments on brain organoids and neonatal mouse slices.

via Earth.com|

#brain-development #early-neural-activity #neural-circuits

science5 months ago•6 min saved

Embracing Alternatives to Animal Testing for a Sustainable Future

Innovative approaches called NAMs are replacing animal testing in biomedical research, offering more human-relevant, ethical, and cost-effective methods for drug testing and understanding biology. Despite progress and regulatory support, adoption faces resistance, especially in publishing and funding, highlighting the need for systemic change in scientific practices.

via Nature|

#animal-testing-alternatives #drug-development #nams

science6 months ago•2 min saved

Public Shock Over Lab-Grown Human Brains

Scientists have created miniature human brain organoids, sparking ethical debates about whether these lab-grown brains could become conscious and if experimenting on them would be justified, with public opinion divided on the issue.

via Futurism|

#consciousness #ethics #lab-grown-brains

technology6 months ago•5 min saved

Scientists Advance 'Living' Computers and Brain-Cell Communication Technologies

Scientists in Switzerland are developing biocomputers using lab-grown mini-brains called organoids derived from human stem cells, aiming to create energy-efficient, living servers that mimic aspects of AI learning, though challenges like maintaining organoid health and understanding their activity remain.

via BBC|

#ai #biocomputing #human-cells

science6 months ago•8 min saved

Mini Organs Unveil Key Insights into Women's Health

Scientists are developing mini organoids of the placenta, ovaries, and uterine lining to better understand women's reproductive health, addressing limitations of animal models and exploring conditions like pre-eclampsia and endometriosis, with potential to revolutionize diagnosis and treatment.

via Nature|

#endometrium #organoids #placenta

science7 months ago•4 min saved

Advances in Lab-Grown Mini Brains Unveil Brain Development Secrets

Scientists used brain organoids to discover that microglia, the brain's immune cells, produce IGF1 which drives the proliferation of interneurons in the developing human brain, a process potentially unique to humans and important for our cognitive abilities.

via Live Science|

#brain-development #human-evolution #interneurons