A new technology that relies on brain organoids – artificial mini-brains grown in the laboratory – has revealed the genetic origins of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the human brain.
This technique, called CHOOSE (Single-cell RNA Sequencing in Human Organoids for CRISP), combines advanced genetics with quantitative bioinformatics to investigate genetic mutations known to be associated with autism and how these mutations affect fetal brain cells. Through this methodology, researchers can study the consequences of multiple mutations in the same experiment, significantly reducing the time required for analysis.
Focusing on 36 genes known to be at increased risk for autism, the researchers found that although these genes share common molecular mechanisms, the effect of these mechanisms on different cell types can be distinctly different. This makes certain types of cells in the fetal brain more susceptible to autism-related mutations.
Brain organoids are artificial brain models grown from stem cells and provide a unique opportunity to study brain development. However, these organoids are not complete models of the brain, missing some cell types such as microglial cells.
However, the technology represents an important step in research into the genetics of neurological disorders and has the potential to change the way we perform genetic screening and understand genetic diseases.
This research was published in the journal Nature on September 13 and opens new perspectives for understanding and treating neurological disorders, including autism.
Source: 360medical.ro
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2023-09-25 21:29:10
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