Scientists Successfully Create Functional Human Brain Tissue Through 3D Printing

A team of scientists from the University of Wisconsin–Madison has successfully created the first 3D brain tissue capable of growth and functioning like typical brain tissue.

This achievement is of significant importance for researchers studying the brain and working on treatments for various neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.


"This model could be extremely powerful for understanding how brain cells and parts of the brain communicate in humans," explains Su-Chun Zhang, a professor of neuroscience and neurology at UW-Madison's Waisman Center. "It could change our perspective on stem cell biology, neuroscience, and the pathogenesis of many neurological and psychiatric disorders."

Previous attempts to print brain tissue have been limited in success due to the printing methods, according to Su-Chun Zhang and Yuanwei Yan, a scientist in the same lab. The group behind this new 3D printing process described their method in the journal Cell Stem Cell.

Instead of constructing the tissue layer by layer in a vertical fashion, the team used a horizontal 3D printing approach, allowing for a more accurate reproduction of the three-dimensional complexity of the human brain. This technique facilitates more realistic cellular communication between different parts of the brain, reflecting more closely how cells interact in a natural biological environment.

This printed brain tissue could be used to study cell signaling in Down syndrome, the interactions between healthy tissue and neighboring tissue affected by Alzheimer's disease, test new drug candidates, or even observe brain growth.

"In the past, we often looked at one thing at a time, which means we often miss critical components. Our brain works in networks. We want to print brain tissue this way because cells don't function alone. They talk to each other. That's how our brain works and it must be studied as a whole to truly understand it," explains Su-Chun Zhang. "Our brain tissue could be used to study almost all major aspects that many people at the Waisman Center work on. It can be used to examine the molecular mechanisms underlying brain development, human development, developmental disabilities, neurodegenerative disorders, and more."

The new printing technique should also be accessible to many laboratories. It does not require specialized biological printing equipment or culture methods to maintain tissue health and can be thoroughly examined with microscopes, standard imaging techniques, and electrodes already common in the field.

Researchers now wish to explore the potential for specialization by further improving their biological ink and refining their equipment to allow specific orientations of cells in their printed tissue.