British scientists have created in the laboratory the first complete miniature stomach the size of a pea, containing the main components of a natural stomach.
The miniature stomach has already helped treat a rare disease. The model consists of three parts: the fundus (upper part), the body (central area where food mixes with acid and enzymes), and the lower part. Each area was grown from the patient's stem cells and began to function like a real organ, with the system learning to secrete gastric juices.
Lead author Giovanni Gobbi of University College London said: "Traditional organoids and animal models do not replicate the functional diversity of the human stomach, but our multi-regional models replicate the structure and function of the stomach, including acid secretion, allowing us to uncover the mechanisms of development of rare stomach diseases."
Miniature stomachs were grown from stem cells in children with a rare genetic condition involving enlargement of the lower stomach, high bilirubin levels, polycystic kidney disease, and inflammatory bowel disease (PMM2-HIPKD-IBD). This has allowed for testing hypotheses about the causes of the disease and potential treatment methods.
Co-author Kelsey Jones from Great Ormond Street Hospital said: "This is an important step towards developing personalized treatment for patients."
The development helped 15-year-old Will Palestrini, who has suffered from a hereditary stomach condition since birth. His mother, Nancy, expressed hope for a long-term positive effect from the treatment. Professor Marianne Knight emphasized that this approach, if used for other diseases, would offer hope to many patients.
