A Mini Brain Grown From Human Stem Cells (Infographic)

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Infographic: a mini brain grown from human stem cells.
Scientists can now grow functional mini brains for study. (Image credit: by Karl Tate, Infographics Artist)

The complexity of the human brain makes it difficult to study its development. Scientists have created a cerebral organoid, a miniature, functioning model of the brain, from human stem cells.

After 20 to 30 days of growth, the mini brain developed defined regions, including a cerebral cortex, retina, meninges and choroid plexus. The mini brain reached its maximum size after two months, and can survive indefinitely.

The fully grown organoid is comparable to a 9-week-old fetal brain.

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Read full story: Mini Human 'Brains' Grown in Lab Dish

Karl Tate
Karl Tate
LiveScience Infographic Artist
Karl has been Purch's infographics specialist across all editorial properties since 2010.  Before joining Purch, Karl spent 11 years at the New York headquarters of The Associated Press, creating news graphics for use around the world in newspapers and on the web.  He has a degree in graphic design from Louisiana State University.