Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed miniature lab-grown models of the human brain and spinal cord that show damaged nerve fibers can regain the ability to regrow under certain conditions.
The team built functional neural circuits using stem cell-derived organoids kept physically apart in the lab. Axons from brain tissue grew across the gap to connect with spinal cord tissue and trigger muscle contractions. This setup allowed study of regeneration over more than a year of development.
