Scientists Create Mini Human Brain

Biomedical scientists have used stem cells to create a naturally developing mini-human brain the size of a pea. It's the best living model yet developed.

Jüergen Knoblich of the Austrian Academy of Molecular Biotechnology Sciences in Vienna stated that it is not possible to test mini-brains on animals, saying, "The mouse brain does not provide a good model system for the human brain... The system we developed will allow us to study specific features of the human brain's developmental process."

The tissues generated from stem cells developed into the cerebral cortex and retina. While they don't fully reflect the characteristics of the human brain, they could be of great benefit in research on the developing human brain and in understanding brain disorders such as schizophrenia and autism. Their next goal is to create a more complex, even complete, human brain.

Source: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/57d40cba-0f05-11e3-ae66-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2dLshc36W