Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI-ASHBi), KUIAS Kyoto University.
Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University.
AJOB Neurosci. 2022 Apr-Jun;13(2):81-94. doi: 10.1080/21507740.2021.1896603. Epub 2021 Mar 26.
In 2008, researchers created human three-dimensional neural tissue - known as the pioneering work of "brain organoids." In recent years, some researchers have transplanted human brain organoids into animal brains for applicational purposes. With these experiments have come many ethical concerns. It is thus an urgent task to clarify what is ethically permissible and impermissible in brain organoid research. This paper seeks (1) to sort out the ethical issues related to brain organoid research and application and (2) to propose future directions for additional ethical consideration and policy debates in the field. Toward (1), this paper first outlines the current state of brain organoid research, and then briefly responds to previously raised related ethical concerns. Looking next at anticipated scientific developments in brain organoid research, we will discuss (i) ethical issues related to in vitro brain organoids, (ii) ethical issues raised when brain organoids form complexes or have relationships with other entities, and (iii) ethical issues of research ethics and governance. Finally, in pursuit of (2), we propose research policies that are mindful of the ethics of brain organoid research and application and also suggest the need for an international framework for research and application of brain organoids.
2008 年，研究人员创造了人类三维神经组织——这被称为“类脑器官”的开创性工作。近年来，一些研究人员已经将人类类脑器官移植到动物大脑中用于应用目的。随着这些实验的进行，出现了许多伦理问题。因此，明确类脑器官研究中什么是允许的，什么是不允许的，是当务之急。本文旨在（1）梳理与类脑器官研究和应用相关的伦理问题，（2）为该领域进一步的伦理考虑和政策辩论提出未来的方向。为了（1），本文首先概述了类脑器官研究的现状，然后简要回应了先前提出的相关伦理问题。接下来展望类脑器官研究的预期科学发展，我们将讨论（i）与体外类脑器官相关的伦理问题，（ii）类脑器官与其他实体形成复合物或关系时引发的伦理问题，以及（iii）研究伦理和治理的伦理问题。最后，为了（2），我们提出了考虑到类脑器官研究和应用伦理的研究政策，并建议有必要建立一个类脑器官研究和应用的国际框架。
