Scientists grow brain cells in lab

Scientists have grown brain cells in a laboratory for the first time.

The radical new technique could lead to cures for diseases such as Parkinson's, epilepsy and Alzheimer's, researchers claim.

A team from Florida University used stem cells, the controversial master cells in the body that can grow into anything from brain to bone, to create fully formed rodent brain cells.

Their discovery, published in the journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could revolutionise medicine and lead to new drugs to cure brain diseases without the need for surgery.

Dr Bjorn Scheffler, who led the research, said: "It's like an assembly line to manufacture the brain cells."

Experts today hailed the discovery as a major step forward in treating brain disease.

"As far as regenerating parts of the brain that have degenerated, such as in Parkinson's disease, it would have major impact," said Dr. Eric Holland, a brain expert at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

The team also hopes that one day patients could be given a drug that enables their brain to regenerate itself.