CAMBRIDGE, June 4 — Scientists at the University of Cambridge have made a groundbreaking discovery that challenges the long-held belief that nerve damage in the central nervous system is permanent. The team, led by Andras Lakatos, has successfully grown a miniature human brain and spinal cord system in the lab, and used it to study the regrowth of damaged axons.
The researchers grew pea-sized brain and spinal cord organoids from human stem cells, keeping them physically separate, and watched as axons from the brain tissue grew across the gap to connect with the spinal cord tissue, forming a working circuit that could even trigger muscle contractions.
This breakthrough has significant implications for the treatment of spinal cord injury, motor neurone disease, and multiple sclerosis.
The Breakthrough
The team found that neurons could regrow damaged axons until roughly day 150 of development, after which a biological switch hardwired into maturing human neurons sharply reduced their regenerative ability. By identifying the gene network behind this switch, the researchers were able to block its key regulators and restore the neurons’ ability to grow axons.
An existing drug, lynestrenol, was found to improve axon regrowth in tests, although it is unlikely to be the clinical answer.
This discovery proves that human neurons can be directly targeted to regenerate, offering new hope for the treatment of nerve damage. The fact that most earlier research relied on rodents makes this human model a significant step forward, with the potential to accelerate treatments for a range of debilitating conditions. The study, published in Cell Reports, is a major breakthrough in the field of neuroscience, and offers a glimpse into the possibilities of regenerative medicine.
The use of human stem cells to grow organoids has allowed the researchers to study the development of the human nervous system in unprecedented detail, and has shed new light on the complex processes that govern nerve growth and regeneration. As research continues to advance, patients with spinal cord injury, motor neurone disease, and multiple sclerosis may have new reasons to be hopeful.
The discovery that human neurons can be induced to regenerate offers a promising avenue for the development of new treatments, and the use of human organoids is likely to play a major role in this process.
A significant amount of research activity is expected in the coming months, as scientists seek to build on this breakthrough and explore its implications for human health. With the potential to accelerate treatments for a range of debilitating conditions, this discovery is a significant step forward, and one that is likely to have far-reaching consequences.
Patients with concerns should consult their doctor.
