Mouse embryonic stem cells can develop into 3D 'mini stomachs' in the lab.

Credit: Taka-aki K. Noguchi et al./Nature Cell Biol.

Researchers have previously used stem cells to make parts of the stomach, but not the whole organ. Taka-aki Noguchi, Akira Kurisaki at the University of Tsukuba in Japan and their team made stomach tissue — including the main food-containing part — by adding several key growth factors to the stem-cell culture after six days. These turned on expression of the Barx1 gene, which is essential for stomach development. After about 60 days, the cells developed into stomach tissue (pictured) that contained several specialized types of stomach cell. The mini stomach also secreted a digestive hormone and acid, and had a similar gene-expression profile to that of adult stomach tissue.

This system could be used to study stomach diseases, the authors say.

Nature Cell Biol. http://doi.org/6gf (2015)