Use of human foetal cells to model nervous system cellular interaction
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Development of an in vitro human foetal neuromusuclar model to study development, injury, regeneration and disease
IRAS ID
360436
Contact name
Peter Arthur-Farraj
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Queen Mary University of London
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, days
Research summary
Our nerves control all the muscles throughout our body and transmit all the sensory information from our environment, including touch, pain and balance. Nerves are made from two main cell types, neurons, which transmit the electrical information, and supporting cells, called Schwann cells. SCs produce a fatty substance called myelin that insulates the long projections of neurons called axons, akin to how a copper wire is insulated by its plastic sheathing.
Diseases, such as genetic, immune-mediated, diabetic neuropathy and motor neuron disease, that affect our nerves are common, and often affect people earlier on in life, typically impairing hand and leg function, when individuals are maximally productive and often have families. The commonest disease that affects nerve function is diabetes, which can result in chronic pain and profound numbness and weakness in the extremities, which makes everyday tasks very difficult and has a huge impact on the quality of life.
The majority of current nerve research uses animal models to understand nerve function. Modelling human nerve disease in animals has limitations, as there are major biological differences compared to human nerves. Also, the focus in animal models is usually centred on a single cell type, the neuron or the SC, and does not model their complex interaction. These approaches limit our ability to make breakthroughs to treat nerve diseases.
I propose to develop a fully human model of a nerve in a culture dish that models how the neuron and SC interact in the body, and how the insulating myelin sheath is created. I will use this new one-of-a-kind model to understand human nerve development and regeneration. I anticipate this model becoming the gold standard in the field for modelling of nerve diseases, reducing our reliance on animal models, and enabling applications for high-throughput therapeutic screening and clinical diagnostic applications.
REC name
London - Bromley Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/PR/1779
Date of REC Opinion
13 Jan 2026
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion