The Emerging Field of Human Neural Organoids, Transplants, and Chimeras Science, Ethics, and Governance (2021) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
Summary
Summary
Pages 1-10
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 1... ...
These advances have positioned brain researchers to use this knowledge to tackle human disease mechanisms and design effective therapies. However, making this leap is difficult largely because of the many ethical, legal, and practical limitations to studying the human brain.
|
From page 2... ...
These methods will not be applicable to humans as therapies, but their potential as a research model is great. Human neural organoids, cell transplants, and chimeras are already yielding important insights into the functioning of the human brain and human brain 2 In this report, human neural transplant refers to the transplantation of human neural cells or groups of human neural cells into the brains of nonhuman animals.
|
From page 3... ...
• What are appropriate disposal mechanisms for such models? • What types of brain tissue are appropriate for use as neural organoids?
|
From page 4... ...
Small animal models provide a valuable alternative, but they are insufficient for studying complex human brain disorders.
|
From page 5... ...
However, this promise must be carefully weighed against the ethical concerns such models may raise. State of the Science Finding II.1: Human neural organoids are cellular aggregates derived from human stem cells, in which multiple, diverse types of neuronal and glial cells differentiate and form three-dimensional organized assemblies.
|
From page 6... ...
Issues of Ethical Concern Finding III.1: Because of the human suffering and mortality caused by brain disorders, limitations of current animal disease models, and the uniquely human quality of some brain diseases, there are strong moral arguments in favor of research using organoids, transplants, and chimeras derived from human cells as long as such research is balanced with other ethical considerations, such as ensuring animal welfare, appropriate use of human biological materials, and safety. Finding III.2: Some studies in which human neural cells have been integrated into the brains of nonhuman animals raise moral, ethical, and religious concerns regarding the mixing of humans and other animals, the special status of humans, animals acquiring attributes that could be viewed as distinctively human, or humans taking on roles that should be reserved for a deity.
|
From page 7... ...
Well-established regulations and practices emphasize the requirements to minimize the number of animals used; replace them with other experimental models when possible and consistent with the approved scientific aims of the research; alleviate or minimize their pain and distress; and provide them appropriate living conditions, including nutritious food, safe shelter, housing, companionship, and opportunities for stimulation. As transplantation and chimeric models of human brain diseases become better able to model key disease features, research animals are likely to show behaviors that resemble human symptoms and that would be viewed as distressing were they to occur in humans.
|
From page 8... ...
Assessment of Consciousness and Pain in Human Neural Organoids, Transplants, and Chimeras Finding IV.1: Decisions about how research on neural cell transplantation and chimeras should be conducted or overseen depend in large part on the possibility that the animal host will have altered capacities as a consequence of its brain cells being augmented or replaced by human cells. The possibilities of pain sensation, and altered consciousness are often raised as issues of particular concern, but both pain and consciousness are difficult to define or measure.
|
From page 9... ...
Finding V.5: Some future research, including that involving more complex human neural organoids, transplants, and chimeras and the generation of transplants and chimeras in nonhuman primates, will benefit from additional discussion of ethical and social issues that extend beyond reviews of individual research projects currently carried out by IACUCs. Examples include injection of human stem cells into nonhuman animal blastocysts and indications that suggest enhanced capacities in transplant recipients or chimeras.
|
From page 10... ...
Such engagement has several benefits, including helping the public understand the research, identifying public concerns, facilitating informed public discussion, and influencing science policy. However, the United States currently lacks robust mechanisms for facilitating this public engagement.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.