Hoppe Meagan, Habib Ahmed, Desai Riya, Edwards Lincoln, Kodavali Chowdari, Sherry Psy Natalie Sandel, Zinn Pascal O
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.
Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.
Front Mol Med. 2023 Mar 23;3:1143298. doi: 10.3389/fmmed.2023.1143298. eCollection 2023.
Human brain organoids are models derived from human embryonic or induced pluripotent stem cells that mimic basic cerebral microanatomy and demonstrate simple functional neuronal networks. Brain organoids have been a rapidly expanding avenue for biomedical research in general and specifically: neural development, regeneration, and central nervous system pathophysiology. However, technology replicating functional aspects of the human brain, including electrically active neural networks, requires a responsible code of conduct. In this review, we focus the discussion on intrinsic and extrinsic ethical factors associated with organoids: intrinsic considerations arise with the growing complexity of human brain organoids, including human-animal chimerism, consciousness development, and questions of where these human-like beings fall in a moral hierarchy. Extrinsic considerations explore ethics on obtainment, manufacturing, and production of sophisticated human products. In summary, a thoughtful code of conduct using human brain organoids towards the advancement of science and medicine is crucial. This article shall facilitate a structured thought process approaching the moral landscape of organoid technology.
人脑类器官是源自人类胚胎干细胞或诱导多能干细胞的模型，可模拟基本的脑微观解剖结构并展示简单的功能性神经元网络。总体而言，脑类器官一直是生物医学研究中迅速发展的一个领域，尤其在神经发育、再生和中枢神经系统病理生理学方面。然而，复制人脑功能方面（包括电活性神经网络）的技术需要一套负责任的行为准则。在本综述中，我们将讨论重点放在与类器官相关的内在和外在伦理因素上：随着人脑类器官复杂性的增加，出现了内在考量，包括人类-动物嵌合体、意识发展以及这些类人实体在道德等级中的归属问题。外在考量探讨了复杂人类产品获取、制造和生产方面的伦理问题。总之，制定一套关于使用人脑类器官推动科学和医学发展的审慎行为准则至关重要。本文将促进对类器官技术道德领域进行有条理的思考过程。
