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Human Bone Marrow Model Created in Lab,Reducing Reliance on Animal Testing
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Researchers have successfully recreated a functional human bone marrow surroundings *in vitro*,offering a new platform for studying blood formation and potentially reducing the need for animal experiments.This breakthrough could accelerate drug advancement and pave the way for personalized cancer treatments.
The Challenge of Studying Bone Marrow
Bone marrow, the body’s “blood factory,” is a complex tissue comprised of bone cells, nerves, blood vessels, and various cell types. Understanding its intricate workings is crucial, particularly when addressing conditions like blood cancers where blood production malfunctions. Historically, research has relied heavily on mouse models, which, while valuable, don’t perfectly replicate human biology. Studies have shown significant differences between murine and human hematopoiesis, highlighting the need for more human-relevant models.
“We have learned a great deal about how bone marrow works from mouse studies,” says Ivan Martin, a researcher involved in the project. “However, our model brings us closer to the biology of the human organism. It could serve as a complement to many animal experiments in the study of blood formation in both healthy and diseased conditions.” This initiative aligns with a growing global movement to reduce, refine, and replace animal experiments, often referred to as the “3Rs” principle. The National Center for the Replacement, Refinement & Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) actively promotes these principles.
A Novel Human Cell-Based System
The research team successfully constructed a bone marrow-like environment using only human cells. This represents a significant advancement, as previous attempts often incorporated animal-derived components.The model replicates key aspects of the bone marrow microenvironment, allowing for the study of blood cell development and function in a more physiologically relevant setting.
While the exact methodology is detailed in their publication, the system involves co-culturing various human cell types, including mesenchymal stromal cells, endothelial cells, and hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, within a three-dimensional scaffold. This scaffold mimics the structural complexity of native bone marrow.
Potential Applications: Drug Development and Personalized Medicine
The new bone marrow model holds promise for both drug development and personalized medicine. It provides a platform for testing the efficacy and toxicity of new drugs targeting blood disorders. However, Andrés García García notes a limitation: ”However, for this specific purpose, the size of our bone marrow model might be too large.” Scaling down the platform is a key focus for future development to enable high-throughput drug screening.
Looking further ahead, researchers envision creating patient-specific bone marrow models.By using cells derived from individual patients,doctors could test different therapies *in vitro* and predict which treatment will be most effective. This personalized approach could revolutionize the treatment of blood cancers and other hematological disorders.
