Neural organoids are millimeter-scale brain models which poses cell population and structural organization similar to fetal human brain. Although being one of the most advanced human brain model in vitro, they don’t have blood vessels, which means they develop dead tissue in the center, lead to struggle with survival, function, and further development.
Dr. András Lakatos (CSO) co-led the development of a new culture method called ALI-CO, which improved the organoids' ability to survive and grow functional neural connections by culturing <300um thin slices with exposure to air. At Replicam, we use these functional brain organoid slices as building blocks towards larger, more viable and complex brain models with our OPTIMATM chips. Our technology enables vertical connections between brain regions, creating in vitro systems that more closely resemble the real human brain and CNS. This marks a step forward in realistic brain modeling for research, drug discovery, and the development of larger tissue blocks for transplantation and regenerative medicine.
