Scientists grow human tear glands in a lab and actually make them cry
Dutch researchers have an ambitious vision for their organoid. Listen - 02:47 Getty Images
Disembodied human tear glands that cry sound like something out of a sci-fi movie. But in the Netherlands, functional tear glands that don t attach to anyone s eyes (or emotions) are starring in their own real-life drama.
Researchers from the Hubrecht Institute and UMC Utrecht used stem cells to grow tiny tear glands in a petri dish that mimic the real thing. They hope these so-called organoids can serve as models for studying how the cells in human tear glands produce tears. The ultimate goal: to better understand and treat conditions such as dry eye disease or the autoimmune disorder Sjögren s syndrome, as well as cancers of the tear gland.
Rare Cell Types Identified in Gastrointestinal Tract
Microbiome in human gastrointestinal tract [ Marcin Klapczynski/Getty Images]
March 10, 2021
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The gastrointestinal tract (GI) is the pathway from your mouth to your esophagus, stomach, and small and large intestines. In the GI tract, nutrients and water from food are absorbed to help keep your body healthy. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, researchers from the Hubrecht Institute report they studied the cellular composition of the upper gastrointestinal tract and have identified and characterized rare cell types.
Cell Reports and led by Hans Clever, PhD, principal investigator at the Hubrecht Institute for Developmental Biology and Stem Cell Research.