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| Menstrual cycle recreated 'in a dish' | Menstrual cycle recreated 'in a dish' |
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| US scientists say they have made a mini working replica of the female reproductive tract using human and mouse tissue. | US scientists say they have made a mini working replica of the female reproductive tract using human and mouse tissue. |
| Although the palm-sized device looks nothing like a womb, fallopian tubes and ovaries, the researchers say it should help with understanding diseases of these organs and tissues. | Although the palm-sized device looks nothing like a womb, fallopian tubes and ovaries, the researchers say it should help with understanding diseases of these organs and tissues. |
| It also provides a novel way to test new treatments. | It also provides a novel way to test new treatments. |
| The work is part of a project to create the entire human "body on a chip". | The work is part of a project to create the entire human "body on a chip". |
| The ultimate goal would be to take cells from any given individual in order to create a personalised model of their body to test drugs and treatments on, Nature Communications reports. | The ultimate goal would be to take cells from any given individual in order to create a personalised model of their body to test drugs and treatments on, Nature Communications reports. |
| Menstrual cycle in a dish | Menstrual cycle in a dish |
| The 3D model is made up of a series of cubes that each represent the different parts of the female reproductive system. | The 3D model is made up of a series of cubes that each represent the different parts of the female reproductive system. |
| Each cube contains collections of living cells from the respective bits of this system - fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix and vagina (all human cells), and the ovaries (taken from mice). | |
| The cubes are connected together with small tubes, which allow special fluid to flow through the entire system, much like blood. | The cubes are connected together with small tubes, which allow special fluid to flow through the entire system, much like blood. |
| This also means the "mini organs" can communicate with each other using hormones, mimicking what happens in a woman's body during a "typical" 28-day human menstrual cycle. | This also means the "mini organs" can communicate with each other using hormones, mimicking what happens in a woman's body during a "typical" 28-day human menstrual cycle. |
| One of the cubes represents the human liver because this organ plays an important role in drug metabolism, say the scientists. | One of the cubes represents the human liver because this organ plays an important role in drug metabolism, say the scientists. |
| Tests suggested that the tissues in the system responded to the cyclical ebb and flow of hormones, in a similar way to those of the female body. | Tests suggested that the tissues in the system responded to the cyclical ebb and flow of hormones, in a similar way to those of the female body. |
| Research Dr Joanna Burdette, from Northwestern University, said: "It's a biological representation of the female reproductive tract, so we call it Evatar." | Research Dr Joanna Burdette, from Northwestern University, said: "It's a biological representation of the female reproductive tract, so we call it Evatar." |
| Co-worker Dr Ji-Yong Julie Kim said: "Understanding how the uterus responds to hormones is really important. There is no animal model for a lot of the stuff that we study." | Co-worker Dr Ji-Yong Julie Kim said: "Understanding how the uterus responds to hormones is really important. There is no animal model for a lot of the stuff that we study." |
| Experts welcomed the advance. | Experts welcomed the advance. |
| Prof Jan Brosens from the University of Warwick said: "This is genuinely a remarkable technical achievement. | Prof Jan Brosens from the University of Warwick said: "This is genuinely a remarkable technical achievement. |
| "I am entirely confident that this novel technology represents a step-change in our ability to pinpoint defects that cause infertility and early pregnancy loss. However, it is not a system that can recapitulate all the specialised functions of the reproductive tract or replace IVF." | "I am entirely confident that this novel technology represents a step-change in our ability to pinpoint defects that cause infertility and early pregnancy loss. However, it is not a system that can recapitulate all the specialised functions of the reproductive tract or replace IVF." |
| Dr Channa Jayasena, from Imperial College London and the Society for Endocrinology, said: "The results are exciting and represent an important innovation. However, we must remember that the rodent and human reproductive systems have important differences." | Dr Channa Jayasena, from Imperial College London and the Society for Endocrinology, said: "The results are exciting and represent an important innovation. However, we must remember that the rodent and human reproductive systems have important differences." |