Austrian scientists have developed a mind-boggling technique to grow small brains from cells in the lab.

The researchers were able to create “mini brains” made of human cerebral organoids comprising several separate brain regions. The new ability will have far-reaching benefits in studies of the mind, mental development and disease.

No other organ holds the same level of mystery and intrigue as the brain, which has for so long given up almost no information on its formation and development. It is incredible to imagine the process the brain goes through from a few pluripotent cells to become one of the most complex and highly-functional machines in the natural world.

Researchers have already taken the next step in the study, using the "mini brains" they were able to model the development of a human neuronal disorder and even identify its origin. It is an excellent development on the way to creating models for all systems of the brain.

Dr. Jürgen Knoblich at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA) explains the new method: “We modified an established approach to generate so-called neuroectoderm, a cell layer from which the nervous system derives. Fragments of this tissue were then maintained in a 3D-culture and embedded in droplets of a specific gel that provided a scaffold for complex tissue growth. In order to enhance nutrient absorption, we later transferred the gel droplets to a spinning bioreactor. Within three to four weeks defined brain regions were formed.”

The incredible experiment would have been a thrill to observe. After just 20 days the "cerebral organoids" formed in a scaffolding gel complex tissue growth; it was followed by defined brain regions in 30 days – including a cerebral cortex, retina, meninges and choroid plexus; after two months the brains reached a maximum size only due to a lack of circulation and nutrients normally provided by the rest of the body.

"In addition to the potential for new insights into the development of human brain disorders, mini brains will also be of great interest to the pharmaceutical and chemical industry," explains Dr. Madeline A. Lancaster, team member and first author of the publication. "They allow for the testing of therapies against brain defects and other neuronal disorders. Furthermore, they will enable the analysis of the effects that specific chemicals have on brain development."

Details of the research are available through the journal Nature.