A look at how sight works thanks to the observation of cerebral organoids capable of developing rudimentary eyes. A small set of cells that can be useful to understand the mechanisms that regulate brain development and any alterations, to study the alterations of the retina and to create retinal cells to be used for therapeutic purposes. The study was conducted by a research group of the University of Düsseldorf, which also includes the Department of Life Sciences of the University of Siena with Giuliano Callaini e Maria Giovanna Riparbelli. The results of the research were published in the journal “Cell Stem Cell”.
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Organi in 3D
Organoids are not real organs, but very small three-dimensional structures obtained from pluripotent stem cells, which can transform into different cell types, thus forming various tissues and organs. The Department of the University of Siena studied these cerebral organoids with optical cups, using both the transmission electron microscope and the scanning electron microscope of the Electron Microscopy Laboratory of the same Department.
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The new frontier of medicine
These observations made it possible to understand the exact organization of the organoid and to identify the various cell categories. “These tiny sets of cells – explains Riparbelli – are considered the new frontier of medicine and are among the most promising study models in scientific research. In particular, these cerebral organoids containing optic vesicles constitute the cellular components of a developing optic vesicle, including cells of the primary corneal epithelium and retinal progenitor cells ”.
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Studying the alterations of the retina
The study highlights how, under some conditions, brain organoids are able to develop primitive sensory structures with highly specialized neuronal cell types. These organoids – continues the professor – can be useful for understanding the mechanisms that regulate brain development and any alterations. Since these brain organoids contain optical cups, they could provide interesting information on the interactions that take place between the brain and the eye during embryonic development. Furthermore, they could be used to study the mechanisms that cause alterations in the retina and could pave the way to create retinal cells to be used for therapeutic purposes ”.
“In general, the study of organoid formation – adds Professor Callaini – can help researchers understand the mechanisms underlying the development of various organs and can provide valuable information on how these organs can interact with specific drugs or treatments. Organoids can be used to identify new biomarkers, screen for new drugs and establish, in the near future, the best therapy for a patient, with a view to ever more precise and personalized medicine “.
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