3D printed stem cells could help repair brain injuries

Described in Nature Communications, the work ultimately saw the Oxford team implanting the 3D printed structures into mouse brain slices. According to the researchers, the host and implanted brain tissues exhibited ‘strong integration’, including the migration of neurons and signalling activity that correlated with that of the host cells. It’s hoped the first-of-its-kind study could pave the way for personalised treatments of stroke, brain trauma, and recovery from brain tumour surgery.

“This advance marks a significant step towards the fabrication of materials with the full structure and function of natural brain tissues,” said lead author Dr Yongcheng Jin, from Oxford’s Department of Chemistry. “The work will provide a unique opportunity to explore the workings of the human cortex and, in the long term, it will offer hope to individuals who sustain brain injuries.”

The cortical structure was made from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), which have the potential to produce the cell types found in most human tissues. HiPSCs can be easily derived from cells harvested from patients themselves, thereby avoiding an immune response.