Abstract

Using in vitro models to study human brain evolution and disease. The human brain is amazingly complex, and it’s this complexity that enables our remarkable cognitive power but also makes us susceptible to a range of neurological and mental health conditions. How this complexity arises specifically in humans is one of the most important questions in biology. Because it is a question that can’t be answered in standard animal models, we need a human model. We are exploring this by using stem cell derived models called organoids, small tissues that self-organise and build themselves in a petri dish. By making organoids that mimic the early stages of brain development, we can compare these tissues made from human cells with those made from our closest living relatives, the other great apes, to discover what sets us apart. We have discovered that the cells that produce neurons develop more slowly in human, and that this delay enables them to expand more before making neurons, and thus enables greater neuron number production in the end, hence a larger more complex brain. We are now exploring how this happens, and what goes wrong in disorders like autism and schizophrenia. By using a human model, we are finally revealing the key processes that set us apart as a species.

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