Premium
Three‐Dimensional Models of the Human Brain Development and Diseases
Author(s) -
Jorfi Mehdi,
D'Avanzo Carla,
Kim Doo Yeon,
Irimia Daniel
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
advanced healthcare materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.288
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 2192-2659
pISSN - 2192-2640
DOI - 10.1002/adhm.201700723
Subject(s) - neuroscience , human brain , disease , brain cell , brain development , biology , cognitive science , computer science , psychology , medicine , pathology
Deciphering the human brain pathophysiology remains one of the greatest challenges of the 21 st century. Neurological disorders represent a significant proportion of diseases burden; however, the complexity of the brain physiology makes it challenging to model its diseases. Simple in vitro models have been very useful for precise measurements in controled conditions. However, existing models are limited in their ability to replicate complex interactions between various cells in the brain. Studying human brain requires sophisticated models to reconstitute the tangled architecture and functions of brain cells. Recently, advances in the development of three‐dimensional (3D) brain cell culture models have begun to recapitulate various aspects of the human brain physiology in vitro and replicate basic disease processes of Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and microcephaly. In this review, we discuss the progress, advantages, limitations, and future directions of 3D cell culture systems for modeling the human brain development and diseases.