Tiny human brain grown in lab has eye-like structures that 'see' light

newscientist.com

26 points·elorant··10 comments

The part about a photosensitive are is not so surprising. Oversimplifying, the retina is a part of the brain that goes out and become photosensitive, in particular during the development it's always connected to the brain. It's not like a camera that grows separately and then get connected by a micro USB. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_development

The part about the lens is more strange. The cornea is made of tissue that is not from the brain. My guess is that it's a bad interpretation in the press article.

You are over indexing on "brain".

The brain and eye are built from two sets of stem cells that connect, akin to normal mammalian development.

> . “In the mammalian brain, nerve fibers of retinal ganglion cells reach out to connect with their brain targets, an aspect that has never before been shown in an in vitro system,” Gopalakrishnan says.

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/925127

This is terrifying as it reminds me of Metal Gear: Revengance. I recall a scene where theres a lab full of rows and rows of human brains in tanks with their eyes still attached, moving, seeing.

It made me think how terrifying it would be to be a brain sitting in a jar with eyes - just watching, waiting.

Rick would be proud.

Pass the butter.

I'm reminded of the episode of Superfriends, where brains (with eyes) from Mars take over the bodies of the Superfriends by merging with them.

Winter lanterns

Is there a way to read this without going through the paywall?

Such knowledge is not for the likes of you and I.

Just Google the title. Here are a couple more detailed articles:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mini-brains-grown-...

https://www.livescience.com/brain-organoid-optic-eyes.html

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