3D bioprinted nerve tissues offer new hope for ALS drug testing
Uppsala University team creates motor neuron organoids from patient cells, unlocking new paths for precision medicine
According to Uppsala University, researchers have successfully used 3D printing to produce lab-grown models that closely resemble human nerve tissue—potentially accelerating drug development for debilitating diseases like ALS.
Motor neurons are critical nerve cells responsible for relaying signals from the brain and spinal cord to the body’s muscles. In conditions like Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), these cells are gradually destroyed, leading to paralysis and, on average, death within four years of diagnosis. Though current treatments may slow the disease, no cure exists.
Now, scientists have developed a 3D bioprinted model known as a motor neuron organoid. These miniature, patient-specific tissue constructs allow researchers to simulate spinal cord function and test drug responses outside the human body.
“Motor neurons sit in the middle of the spinal cord, which is why it isn’t possible to test treatments directly on a patient who is suffering from a neurodegenerative disease such as ALS. Our method makes it possible to construct motor neuron organoids directly from the patient’s skin cells from which we can build spinal cord organoids that can then be used to test new treatments,” explains Uppsala’s Elena Kozlova, lead author of the study, published in the International Journal of Bioprinting.
The technique starts with skin-derived human stem cells, reprogrammed into immature nerve cells known as motor neuron progenitors. These are combined with a soft gelatin-based bioink and printed layer by layer. This soft material enables not only the formation of structured tissue but also promotes cell survival and the extension of nerve fibers—both on the surface and deep within the printed scaffold.
A key breakthrough was the introduction of mesoporous silica particles—tiny, porous carriers infused with growth factors—into the bioink. These particles support the cells’ development into more mature nerve tissue.
The Uppsala team has also developed a reproducible, step-by-step protocol for fabricating these organoids. “It’s important for research and drug testing to be able to print a large number of organoids in a reproducible way. Our method also makes it possible to include other types of nerve cells including glial cells, which can pave the way for more complete models of the spinal cord,” says Kozlova.
