Scientists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have developed a "mini-heart" using stem cells that emulates the early development phase of the human heart. The organoid, which contains both heart muscle cells and cells of the outer layer of the heart wall, could facilitate research on heart diseases and the earliest phases of human heart development.
"Mini-Heart" Organoid Mimics Early Human Heart Development: Breakthrough in Biomedical Research and Regenerative Medicine
The development of organoids represents a major breakthrough in regenerative medicine and biomedical research.
Organoids are three-dimensional structures that can be grown from stem cells in a petri dish, mimicking the structure and function of specific organs in the body. They provide an excellent model for studying organ development, disease, and drug development.
The development of organoids has been the focus of research in many areas of medicine, including neurology, gastroenterology, and cardiology.
The potential of organoids to be used as a replacement for animal testing in drug development is especially significant, as it could reduce the number of animals used in research, as well as provide more accurate results than animal models.
Science Daily reports that the research team at TUM has been at the forefront of developing heart organoids. They have developed a method for creating a sort of "mini-heart" using pluripotent stem cells that can emulate the early development of the human heart.
The process of creating heart organoids has been published in the journal Nature Biotechnology, and an international patent has been registered by the team.
The organoids developed by the TUM team have a diameter of approximately 0.5 millimeters and, although they cannot circulate blood, they can be electrically stimulated and contract similarly to the chambers of the human heart.
Organoids: The Future of Drug Development and Personalized Medicine in Cardiology
The team has successfully created "epicardioids," organoids that contain both heart muscle cells and cells of the outer layer of the heart wall.
Through their research, they have discovered a new type of precursor cell that forms around the seventh day of the epicardioid's development.
While these cells exist in the human body for only a few days, the insights gained from this research could lead to new treatment methods for heart attacks and other conditions.
Additionally, the team has demonstrated that organoids can be used to study individual patients' illnesses by producing organoids from pluripotent stem cells from a patient with Noonan syndrome.
The team plans to use personalized organoids to investigate other congenital heart defects in the future.
The research on heart organoids is a primary area of focus at TUM, and the team is working on other organoid projects at the Center for Organoid Systems, including those for the pancreas and brain.
Work groups from various departments will collaborate to conduct interdisciplinary research using cutting-edge imaging and cellular analysis to study the formation of organs, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases.
With the potential to reduce the need for animal testing in drug development, this research could significantly advance medicine with human 3D systems.
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