1
00:00:01,301 --> 00:00:04,730
(electronic whirring)
(heartbeat thuds)

2
00:00:04,730 --> 00:00:07,120
Recently, science has been revealing

3
00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:10,423
remarkable new insights into the human body.

4
00:00:14,750 --> 00:00:18,160
There is a vast web of information networks

5
00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:21,120
just like the internet within our bodies

6
00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:29,540
where our various internal organs

7
00:00:29,540 --> 00:00:32,110
are communicating directly with one another

8
00:00:33,240 --> 00:00:35,523
through the exchanging of messages.

9
00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:44,010
It seems that these communications

10
00:00:44,010 --> 00:00:46,570
are also deeply involved in the processes

11
00:00:46,570 --> 00:00:50,053
that take place in the very early stages of our lives.

12
00:00:51,705 --> 00:00:54,250
(baby coos)

13
00:00:54,250 --> 00:00:57,330
How exactly does such a complex, elaborate

14
00:00:57,330 --> 00:01:01,083
system develop from just one tiny fertilized egg?

15
00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:07,780
This may be one of the biggest questions

16
00:01:07,780 --> 00:01:11,173
that scientists the world over have been trying to answer.

17
00:01:14,350 --> 00:01:16,740
Cutting edge research has been shedding light

18
00:01:16,740 --> 00:01:19,060
on some incredibly mechanisms buried

19
00:01:19,060 --> 00:01:21,283
deep within the fertilized egg.

20
00:01:24,350 --> 00:01:27,670
And the key players are the signaling molecules

21
00:01:27,670 --> 00:01:29,580
that are being used by our cells

22
00:01:29,580 --> 00:01:31,793
to communicate with one another.

23
00:01:34,140 --> 00:01:36,570
It's now understood that key messaging

24
00:01:36,570 --> 00:01:39,100
molecules are released at different stages

25
00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:43,593
so that our organs can start taking shape on their own.

26
00:01:46,610 --> 00:01:49,590
I think the surprise for me was the amazing

27
00:01:49,590 --> 00:01:53,490
degree to which the cells sort of know what to do.

28
00:01:53,490 --> 00:01:55,925
They're constantly communicating with one another

29
00:01:55,925 --> 00:01:58,363
and instructing them what to become.

30
00:01:59,940 --> 00:02:02,160
Moreover, these exchanges can have

31
00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:05,133
a substantial impact on the mother's womb, too.

32
00:02:08,260 --> 00:02:11,660
So, part of the placental cells seek out

33
00:02:11,660 --> 00:02:16,660
the mother's blood vessels and invade the walls.

34
00:02:18,790 --> 00:02:21,770
In the struggle to survive, the unborn

35
00:02:21,770 --> 00:02:24,673
baby reacts in astonishing ways.

36
00:02:25,650 --> 00:02:28,170
The veil is finally being lifted

37
00:02:28,170 --> 00:02:30,883
on what had been completely unknown before,

38
00:02:33,130 --> 00:02:36,403
the incredible dramas of life before birth.

39
00:02:38,860 --> 00:02:41,533
Join us to witness this incredible story.

40
00:02:43,570 --> 00:02:47,320
(hopeful instrumental music)

41
00:02:58,430 --> 00:03:01,638
(wind whooshing)

42
00:03:01,638 --> 00:03:02,805
December 2016.

43
00:03:08,920 --> 00:03:10,700
We're going to follow a couple having

44
00:03:10,700 --> 00:03:13,523
a child from the earliest stage of the pregnancy,

45
00:03:17,930 --> 00:03:20,773
the Matsunagas, Atsushi and Megumi.

46
00:03:23,530 --> 00:03:25,230
They were married three years ago.

47
00:03:27,990 --> 00:03:30,410
As Megumi had to have surgery for uterine

48
00:03:30,410 --> 00:03:34,280
fibroids in the past, they have

49
00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:35,830
been having trouble conceiving.

50
00:03:37,244 --> 00:03:39,280
(speaking in foreign language)

51
00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:43,077
And a gynecological exam revealed further obstacles.

52
00:03:43,077 --> 00:03:45,977
(soft instrumental music)

53
00:03:45,977 --> 00:03:47,050
(speaking in foreign language)

54
00:03:47,050 --> 00:03:48,591
I was told that

55
00:03:48,591 --> 00:03:49,893
my egg cell count was very low.

56
00:03:51,380 --> 00:03:53,780
They recommended we conceive within three years.

57
00:03:54,984 --> 00:03:57,430
(speaking in foreign language)

58
00:03:57,430 --> 00:03:58,780
In order to make the most

59
00:03:58,780 --> 00:04:00,723
of the narrow window for conceiving,

60
00:04:01,860 --> 00:04:03,633
the Matsunagas made a decision.

61
00:04:05,713 --> 00:04:06,546
(speaking in foreign language)

62
00:04:06,546 --> 00:04:08,243
We're going to try IVF.

63
00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:14,190
IVF is for in vitro fertilization.

64
00:04:14,190 --> 00:04:16,730
It means Megumi's egg is fertilized

65
00:04:16,730 --> 00:04:19,343
with Atsushi's sperm in a Petri dish.

66
00:04:21,390 --> 00:04:25,923
This is a clip of that very moment.

67
00:04:30,660 --> 00:04:34,160
On the bottom left of the screen is a sperm cell.

68
00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:35,953
It's advancing toward the egg cell.

69
00:04:41,270 --> 00:04:42,863
It makes contact.

70
00:04:46,550 --> 00:04:48,100
But this is just the beginning.

71
00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:56,363
Two round objects have appeared.

72
00:04:58,350 --> 00:05:01,750
These are cell nuclei, each containing

73
00:05:01,750 --> 00:05:03,843
the genes of the mother and father.

74
00:05:05,860 --> 00:05:07,700
The genes that were packed into the head

75
00:05:07,700 --> 00:05:10,173
of the sperm cell balloon outward,

76
00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:17,903
and then the contents of the two nuclei suddenly vanish.

77
00:05:21,410 --> 00:05:25,802
It is at this very moment that a new life begins.

78
00:05:25,802 --> 00:05:29,469
(gentle instrumental music)

79
00:05:33,150 --> 00:05:35,450
This miraculous moment was captured using

80
00:05:35,450 --> 00:05:37,850
a special microscopy technique.

81
00:05:37,850 --> 00:05:40,350
Let's take a look at this breakthrough footage,

82
00:05:40,350 --> 00:05:42,503
the first of its kind to be broadcast.

83
00:05:46,660 --> 00:05:49,793
This is the very moment the two nuclei vanish.

84
00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:53,640
The individual chromosomes containing genetic

85
00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:55,683
information are clearly visible.

86
00:06:00,140 --> 00:06:01,783
They're now gathering together,

87
00:06:03,930 --> 00:06:05,490
and the genes of the mother and

88
00:06:05,490 --> 00:06:09,603
father merge to create a new life.

89
00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:16,593
Two hours later, the egg begins the cell division process.

90
00:06:21,599 --> 00:06:26,266
Over five days, the number of cells grows to around 100.

91
00:06:28,610 --> 00:06:31,891
After this, it's time for implantation.

92
00:06:31,891 --> 00:06:35,974
(suspenseful instrumental music)

93
00:06:38,410 --> 00:06:39,660
The fertilized egg has been

94
00:06:39,660 --> 00:06:42,233
returned to Megumi Matsunaga's womb.

95
00:06:52,145 --> 00:06:55,263
Now comes the most challenging part of the process.

96
00:06:57,950 --> 00:06:59,790
Will the fertilized egg implant

97
00:06:59,790 --> 00:07:02,063
itself properly in the uterus wall?

98
00:07:04,630 --> 00:07:07,080
Fertilized naturally or in vitro,

99
00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:08,820
an egg must implant itself

100
00:07:08,820 --> 00:07:10,683
for the pregnancy to be successful.

101
00:07:13,710 --> 00:07:16,360
In clearing this difficult stage,

102
00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:19,950
a signaling molecule comes into play in the womb,

103
00:07:19,950 --> 00:07:22,303
and the change it triggers is dramatic.

104
00:07:26,090 --> 00:07:27,140
So what happens here?

105
00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:35,830
This decisive moment was captured by this

106
00:07:35,830 --> 00:07:39,303
scientist and was a world first.

107
00:07:41,460 --> 00:07:44,040
Dr. Ali Brivanlou specializes in the

108
00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:46,013
study of the fertilized human egg.

109
00:07:49,070 --> 00:07:51,437
We have never seen this before,

110
00:07:51,437 --> 00:07:53,930
because, again, it's impossible to have

111
00:07:53,930 --> 00:07:56,841
access to this biological material,

112
00:07:56,841 --> 00:07:58,880
especially knowing that women don't

113
00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:00,630
know, even, that they are pregnant.

114
00:08:03,420 --> 00:08:05,560
Dr. Brivanlou creates an environment

115
00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:08,550
like the uterus in a Petri dish.

116
00:08:08,550 --> 00:08:11,963
Then he observes the fertilized egg after implantation.

117
00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:16,940
A substance shown here in yellow

118
00:08:16,940 --> 00:08:18,953
begins to pour out from around it.

119
00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:24,643
Over a period of days, it keeps increasing.

120
00:08:27,979 --> 00:08:29,177
(electronic bubbling)

121
00:08:29,177 --> 00:08:30,823
This is a molecule called HCG.

122
00:08:32,610 --> 00:08:34,598
The egg uses it to send the mother's body

123
00:08:34,598 --> 00:08:38,983
its first messages, saying I'm here.

124
00:08:41,470 --> 00:08:43,480
This message plays a crucial role

125
00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:45,713
in the egg taking root in the uterus.

126
00:08:50,340 --> 00:08:53,493
The egg implants itself to the wall of the uterus,

127
00:08:55,500 --> 00:08:58,510
but without intervention, the next menstrual

128
00:08:58,510 --> 00:09:00,360
cycle would flush it out of the body.

129
00:09:05,834 --> 00:09:09,667
So the egg releases a signaling molecule, HCG.

130
00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:16,300
It enters the mother's bloodstream

131
00:09:16,300 --> 00:09:18,833
and acts on the ovaries and other organs.

132
00:09:23,690 --> 00:09:25,700
This blocks the next menstrual cycle

133
00:09:27,670 --> 00:09:31,173
and instead causes the wall of the uterus to thicken.

134
00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:38,273
The egg then becomes firmly entrenched.

135
00:09:40,050 --> 00:09:45,000
The baby egg calls out and the mother's body answers.

136
00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:47,313
That's what the implantation process is.

137
00:09:48,390 --> 00:09:50,160
These cells are those who are gonna be

138
00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:53,310
talking to the maternal cells to establish

139
00:09:53,310 --> 00:09:55,780
all the inductive interactions and

140
00:09:55,780 --> 00:09:57,673
communications that are required.

141
00:10:00,657 --> 00:10:02,030
(speaking in foreign language)

142
00:10:02,030 --> 00:10:03,064
It's been three weeks

143
00:10:03,064 --> 00:10:03,897
since the fertilized egg was

144
00:10:03,897 --> 00:10:06,668
returned to Megumi Matsunaga's womb.

145
00:10:06,668 --> 00:10:07,501
(speaking in foreign language)

146
00:10:07,501 --> 00:10:09,190
She visits the doctors to find out

147
00:10:09,190 --> 00:10:11,903
whether it has taken root properly in the womb.

148
00:10:14,433 --> 00:10:17,010
Only one in three IVF treatments is

149
00:10:17,010 --> 00:10:18,633
successful on the first try.

150
00:10:21,090 --> 00:10:23,040
Here are the results of her blood test.

151
00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:29,384
They show a large amount of the molecule HCG.

152
00:10:29,384 --> 00:10:30,330
(suspenseful instrumental music)

153
00:10:30,330 --> 00:10:33,343
The one that the baby uses to signal I'm here.

154
00:10:43,118 --> 00:10:44,330
The fertilized egg cell has been firmly

155
00:10:44,330 --> 00:10:46,070
established in the soft tissue

156
00:10:46,070 --> 00:10:47,633
of the thickened uterine wall.

157
00:11:04,120 --> 00:11:06,620
Inside Megumi Matsunaga's womb,

158
00:11:07,615 --> 00:11:09,115
a fetus has begun its journey.

159
00:11:12,520 --> 00:11:14,323
And this is only just the beginning.

160
00:11:16,990 --> 00:11:19,090
There's still a lot of work to be done.

161
00:11:20,322 --> 00:11:23,989
(gentle instrumental music)

162
00:11:27,500 --> 00:11:30,583
Our bodies are made up from many different kinds of cells.

163
00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:37,270
They come in all shapes and sizes.

164
00:11:37,270 --> 00:11:40,690
Stomach cells, gut cells.

165
00:11:40,690 --> 00:11:43,200
We live and breathe because of these cells

166
00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:45,823
working away inside our organs.

167
00:11:49,310 --> 00:11:51,010
But all these different cells have

168
00:11:51,010 --> 00:11:52,900
actually come from the division

169
00:11:52,900 --> 00:11:55,593
of just one fertilized egg.

170
00:12:00,070 --> 00:12:02,423
So how exactly was such a thing possible?

171
00:12:03,757 --> 00:12:07,340
(light instrumental music)

172
00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:12,363
We now have the answer.

173
00:12:13,290 --> 00:12:15,290
Quietly, behind the scenes, our

174
00:12:15,290 --> 00:12:18,537
cells are sending messages to each other.

175
00:12:18,537 --> 00:12:21,745
(playful instrumental music)

176
00:12:21,745 --> 00:12:23,890
(electronic whirring)

177
00:12:23,890 --> 00:12:25,251
Baby.

178
00:12:25,251 --> 00:12:28,550
This is Kenneth Chien, a world leading expert

179
00:12:30,290 --> 00:12:32,753
in the field of regenerative medicine.

180
00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:37,370
For the research into the beginnings of life,

181
00:12:37,370 --> 00:12:40,053
specific types of cells are now available.

182
00:12:42,770 --> 00:12:45,700
The major advantage, advance, of course

183
00:12:45,700 --> 00:12:47,340
was the discovery not only of human

184
00:12:47,340 --> 00:12:51,760
embryonic stem cells, but human IPS cells, of course.

185
00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:56,760
Dr. Yamanaka in Japan was the pioneer in this area

186
00:12:56,780 --> 00:13:00,160
and this has had a transformative effect in our field.

187
00:13:00,160 --> 00:13:01,810
Previously, researchers in

188
00:13:01,810 --> 00:13:03,920
this field could only use embryonic

189
00:13:03,920 --> 00:13:06,833
stem cells, or ES cells in short.

190
00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:09,890
ES cells are based on cells that

191
00:13:09,890 --> 00:13:12,083
have been extracted from a fertilized egg.

192
00:13:13,340 --> 00:13:14,970
And that is why it has the natural power

193
00:13:14,970 --> 00:13:17,473
to transform itself into any cell.

194
00:13:18,900 --> 00:13:23,380
Dr. Shinya Yamanaka in Japan was the first scientist

195
00:13:23,380 --> 00:13:26,140
who had succeeded in developing induced pluripotent

196
00:13:26,140 --> 00:13:29,820
stem cells, or IPS cells in short

197
00:13:29,820 --> 00:13:31,810
by adding special genes to common

198
00:13:31,810 --> 00:13:34,790
types of cells like adult skin cells

199
00:13:34,790 --> 00:13:37,530
and growing them in a cell culture,

200
00:13:37,530 --> 00:13:40,300
the cells with pluripotency can be produced.

201
00:13:40,300 --> 00:13:42,580
They are able to transform into any

202
00:13:42,580 --> 00:13:47,180
cell in the human body just like ES cells.

203
00:13:47,180 --> 00:13:50,040
By using these two types of stem cells,

204
00:13:50,040 --> 00:13:53,089
that is, ES cells and IPS cells,

205
00:13:53,089 --> 00:13:55,300
researchers are now able to observe

206
00:13:55,300 --> 00:13:57,580
the process of how organs are formed

207
00:13:57,580 --> 00:14:00,373
from a single cell in a Petri dish.

208
00:14:03,060 --> 00:14:06,030
At Chien's lab, ES cells are used to observe

209
00:14:06,030 --> 00:14:09,003
the formation of one organ almost every day.

210
00:14:12,580 --> 00:14:14,650
Here, the researcher adds a certain

211
00:14:14,650 --> 00:14:17,153
signaling molecule to an ES cell.

212
00:14:18,270 --> 00:14:20,113
It's called WNT.

213
00:14:21,820 --> 00:14:24,470
WNT molecules are present in large

214
00:14:24,470 --> 00:14:26,313
quantities in dividing eggs.

215
00:14:29,650 --> 00:14:34,220
After one week
(speaks in foreign language)

216
00:14:35,930 --> 00:14:38,373
Part of the cell is starting to pulse.

217
00:14:43,746 --> 00:14:45,946
(gentle instrumental music)
Two days later,

218
00:14:56,600 --> 00:14:59,470
large ripples move across the flattened cell.

219
00:15:00,373 --> 00:15:03,040
(woman singing)

220
00:15:05,569 --> 00:15:09,236
This is the very beginning of a human heart.

221
00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:16,820
You can take an embryonic stem cell,

222
00:15:16,820 --> 00:15:19,370
they can become any cell, and then

223
00:15:19,370 --> 00:15:21,730
instruct it to specifically, almost

224
00:15:21,730 --> 00:15:26,423
entirely become human beating ventricular muscle.

225
00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:31,790
This is an exciting event, and those

226
00:15:31,790 --> 00:15:34,440
instructions generally are going to be,

227
00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:38,470
I believe, signals that come and tell

228
00:15:38,470 --> 00:15:41,193
the cell to go in one direction or another.

229
00:15:45,290 --> 00:15:47,790
The first organ to form is the heart.

230
00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:52,050
What do you think comes next?

231
00:15:57,410 --> 00:15:59,300
A possible answer to that question

232
00:15:59,300 --> 00:16:02,123
presented itself right in front of our cameras.

233
00:16:04,900 --> 00:16:08,310
Dr. Takanori Takebe is a researcher who is making

234
00:16:08,310 --> 00:16:10,740
waves in the scientific world.

235
00:16:10,740 --> 00:16:13,030
He uses IPS cells.

236
00:16:13,030 --> 00:16:15,320
He has successfully induced them to turn

237
00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:18,223
into cells of some different types of organs.

238
00:16:21,040 --> 00:16:25,203
Today he is observing heart cells made from human IPS cells.

239
00:16:43,710 --> 00:16:45,733
Right next to the pulsing heart tissue,

240
00:16:47,680 --> 00:16:49,630
something quite different has appeared.

241
00:16:50,765 --> 00:16:54,765
(mysterious instrumental music)

242
00:16:56,140 --> 00:16:58,130
Further examination confirms that

243
00:16:58,130 --> 00:17:00,140
it's made up of liver cells.

244
00:17:00,140 --> 00:17:02,220
The heart cells stimulate neighboring

245
00:17:02,220 --> 00:17:04,353
cells to become liver cells.

246
00:17:08,200 --> 00:17:10,320
The heart cells are sending out signaling

247
00:17:10,320 --> 00:17:13,653
molecules with the message become the liver.

248
00:17:16,100 --> 00:17:17,830
And when these messages are picked up

249
00:17:17,830 --> 00:17:21,023
by the neighboring cells, they form into the liver.

250
00:17:24,820 --> 00:17:27,180
It's becoming clearer that as these molecules

251
00:17:27,180 --> 00:17:29,750
are exchanged back and forth in an increasingly

252
00:17:29,750 --> 00:17:34,360
complex manner, organs like the lungs and pancreas

253
00:17:34,360 --> 00:17:37,583
are then created one after the other.

254
00:17:41,060 --> 00:17:42,597
The human body is

255
00:17:42,597 --> 00:17:44,097
never building just one organ.

256
00:17:45,860 --> 00:17:48,760
Various organs which are close to each other

257
00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:50,963
or far apart are all communicating.

258
00:17:55,051 --> 00:17:57,451
But questions still remain, such as

259
00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:02,920
after a certain type of cells are produced,

260
00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:05,100
how do they grow into an organ with a

261
00:18:05,100 --> 00:18:07,463
very complex internal structure?

262
00:18:10,860 --> 00:18:13,350
These are the laboratories of a globally-known

263
00:18:13,350 --> 00:18:15,133
German medical technology company.

264
00:18:17,357 --> 00:18:18,850
Hello.
<v ->Hello, hello.

265
00:18:18,850 --> 00:18:21,129
Welcome.
Dr. Klaus Engel

266
00:18:21,129 --> 00:18:23,310
is a specialist in visualizing the

267
00:18:23,310 --> 00:18:24,457
world inside the human body.
Thank you

268
00:18:24,457 --> 00:18:27,490
so much for what you've done for our program.

269
00:18:27,490 --> 00:18:29,070
These intriguing images

270
00:18:29,070 --> 00:18:31,870
show the body as if we were looking straight through it.

271
00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:37,480
Enormous amounts of imaging data

272
00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:40,143
of a patient's entire body is used.

273
00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:44,520
It's hard to identify which part of the body

274
00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:47,303
each image comes from to untrained eyes.

275
00:18:54,070 --> 00:18:56,980
Dr. Engel combines these images in 3D

276
00:18:59,760 --> 00:19:02,253
and uses a special technique to add color.

277
00:19:05,100 --> 00:19:09,177
Once this is done, photo-realistic images come to life.

278
00:19:15,240 --> 00:19:17,100
These remarkable visuals have been created

279
00:19:17,100 --> 00:19:20,337
from real medical data from the human body.

280
00:19:34,723 --> 00:19:35,833
This is the heart.

281
00:19:46,709 --> 00:19:49,559
And this here shows large blood vessels inside the brain.

282
00:20:07,710 --> 00:20:09,410
Let's take a look inside an organ.

283
00:20:13,770 --> 00:20:15,283
This is inside a lung.

284
00:20:19,750 --> 00:20:23,660
The human bronchial tubes are very complex structures.

285
00:20:23,660 --> 00:20:27,180
They split again and again over 20 times

286
00:20:27,180 --> 00:20:30,323
as they branch out into smaller, thinner airways.

287
00:20:31,820 --> 00:20:35,643
So how do such internally intricate organs get created?

288
00:20:40,290 --> 00:20:42,450
There's a researcher in Japan who's been trying

289
00:20:42,450 --> 00:20:44,223
to get to grips with this mystery.

290
00:20:50,380 --> 00:20:54,410
This is Dr. Takashi Miura of Kyushu University.

291
00:20:54,410 --> 00:20:56,570
He has been exploring how bronchial tubes

292
00:20:56,570 --> 00:20:59,203
develop using computer simulations.

293
00:21:02,170 --> 00:21:04,370
Previously, bronchial tubes were thought

294
00:21:04,370 --> 00:21:06,600
to start branching out just by receiving

295
00:21:06,600 --> 00:21:10,413
a positive instruction, stretch, from neighboring cells.

296
00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:15,250
However, he found that just with this message

297
00:21:15,250 --> 00:21:17,350
to urge tracts to stretch out, it's

298
00:21:17,350 --> 00:21:19,240
quite hard to complete the process

299
00:21:19,240 --> 00:21:21,330
of creating the whole branching system.

300
00:21:21,330 --> 00:21:23,350
To make the branching effects take place,

301
00:21:23,350 --> 00:21:26,080
he needed to build up an extremely complicated

302
00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:28,780
computer program, so Dr. Miura

303
00:21:28,780 --> 00:21:30,503
decided to try something else.

304
00:21:31,360 --> 00:21:34,260
Along with the message stretch out,

305
00:21:34,260 --> 00:21:36,340
he introduced another message in his

306
00:21:36,340 --> 00:21:39,410
simulations and saw what would happen.

307
00:21:39,410 --> 00:21:42,920
This second message was a negative one.

308
00:21:42,920 --> 00:21:43,943
Won't stretch.

309
00:21:48,760 --> 00:21:50,390
When he ran the simulation again

310
00:21:50,390 --> 00:21:52,450
using these contradictory messages

311
00:21:52,450 --> 00:21:54,610
to make counterregulatory actions

312
00:21:54,610 --> 00:21:56,982
happen, he discovered that even a very

313
00:21:56,982 --> 00:21:59,680
simple program was able to initiate

314
00:21:59,680 --> 00:22:02,100
the branching effect and successfully

315
00:22:02,100 --> 00:22:05,083
recreate the structure of the bronchial tubes.

316
00:22:06,888 --> 00:22:08,080
(man speaking in foreign language)

317
00:22:08,080 --> 00:22:09,500
As signals are exchanged,

318
00:22:09,500 --> 00:22:11,440
rules are made about shapes, and

319
00:22:11,440 --> 00:22:13,633
these branches form by themselves.

320
00:22:15,790 --> 00:22:18,900
Even a very simple two-way interaction

321
00:22:18,900 --> 00:22:20,700
can result in a structure like this.

322
00:22:25,780 --> 00:22:26,613
It's now been two

323
00:22:26,613 --> 00:22:29,203
months into Megumi Matsunaga's pregnancy.

324
00:22:33,710 --> 00:22:36,060
Within Megumi's womb, too, this

325
00:22:36,060 --> 00:22:37,973
communication is taking place.

326
00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:47,393
At this point, the baby is only three millimeters in size.

327
00:22:49,090 --> 00:22:50,113
But already,

328
00:22:58,360 --> 00:23:00,420
Only a few weeks into pregnancy,

329
00:23:00,420 --> 00:23:04,710
the first organ to form, the heart, begins to beat.

330
00:23:04,710 --> 00:23:07,650
This is the starting point of a domino effect

331
00:23:07,650 --> 00:23:09,773
forming the full lineup of organs.

332
00:23:10,760 --> 00:23:13,440
Signaling molecules are flying everywhere

333
00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:16,340
within the developing body of the baby.

334
00:23:16,340 --> 00:23:18,830
We can now see the arms and legs.

335
00:23:18,830 --> 00:23:22,523
Once again, this is the work of signaling molecules.

336
00:23:23,740 --> 00:23:27,183
Meanwhile, what's happening inside the baby's body?

337
00:23:28,033 --> 00:23:32,040
(gentle instrumental music)

338
00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:33,943
Fast forward another two months,

339
00:23:40,120 --> 00:23:43,103
and you can see other organs at the area around the heart.

340
00:23:46,060 --> 00:23:48,580
The liver is directly below it.

341
00:23:48,580 --> 00:23:53,580
The lungs and intestines have also been formed.

342
00:23:56,210 --> 00:23:58,290
The stomach appears in black,

343
00:23:58,290 --> 00:24:00,213
being filled with amniotic fluid.

344
00:24:17,060 --> 00:24:19,350
Research has revealed that an assortment

345
00:24:19,350 --> 00:24:22,090
of different signaling molecules are released

346
00:24:22,090 --> 00:24:25,580
one after the other, causing cascading reactions

347
00:24:25,580 --> 00:24:29,313
and leading to the formation of our organs by themselves.

348
00:24:30,510 --> 00:24:33,060
The timings and the amount our cells release

349
00:24:33,060 --> 00:24:36,483
such molecules seem to be very precisely adjusted.

350
00:24:39,209 --> 00:24:40,490
In the womb of the mother, an

351
00:24:40,490 --> 00:24:42,883
extraordinary mechanism is unfolding.

352
00:24:46,050 --> 00:24:48,140
This knowledge gives us an entirely new

353
00:24:48,140 --> 00:24:51,503
perspective into the story of our life before birth.

354
00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:01,330
The baby growing inside Megumi's womb

355
00:25:01,330 --> 00:25:03,410
is only just halfway through its journey

356
00:25:05,270 --> 00:25:07,693
since starting out as a fertilized egg.

357
00:25:09,330 --> 00:25:11,993
A big task waits for both of them around the corner.

358
00:25:28,938 --> 00:25:32,386
And the next task is growth in size.

359
00:25:32,386 --> 00:25:36,053
(upbeat instrumental music)

360
00:25:39,570 --> 00:25:41,950
If a fertilized egg were the same size

361
00:25:41,950 --> 00:25:46,730
as an apple, about 10 centimeters across,

362
00:25:46,730 --> 00:25:48,493
how big would a newborn baby be?

363
00:25:54,820 --> 00:25:57,593
The baby would be 500 meters tall,

364
00:25:58,530 --> 00:26:00,430
higher than the Empire State building.

365
00:26:02,690 --> 00:26:05,653
A baby's growth over nine months is quite extraordinary.

366
00:26:10,810 --> 00:26:13,493
This rapid growth is supported by something crucial.

367
00:26:18,190 --> 00:26:22,760
That's the placenta, the area where the

368
00:26:22,760 --> 00:26:24,580
tip of the baby's umbilical cord

369
00:26:24,580 --> 00:26:26,180
connects with the mother's womb.

370
00:26:28,800 --> 00:26:30,390
The placenta is part of the baby's

371
00:26:30,390 --> 00:26:32,640
body, so it also has developed

372
00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:34,853
from that single fertilized egg cell.

373
00:26:39,890 --> 00:26:41,710
It's an organ where the baby receives

374
00:26:41,710 --> 00:26:44,623
oxygen and nutrients essential to its growth.

375
00:26:48,860 --> 00:26:51,213
Let's take a look to see what's happening inside.

376
00:26:57,910 --> 00:27:01,480
Inside the placenta are tree-like structures.

377
00:27:01,480 --> 00:27:03,493
We'll call them the baby's branches.

378
00:27:07,120 --> 00:27:09,993
The baby's blood vessels run through these structures.

379
00:27:11,710 --> 00:27:14,383
This is the frontier of the baby's own body.

380
00:27:18,242 --> 00:27:21,113
Above is the wall of the mother's womb.

381
00:27:22,140 --> 00:27:24,260
The holes that can be seen are openings

382
00:27:24,260 --> 00:27:26,810
that connect to blood vessels of the mother's body.

383
00:27:28,210 --> 00:27:30,673
We'll call them windows of riches.

384
00:27:37,270 --> 00:27:39,480
The baby's branches absorb nutrients

385
00:27:39,480 --> 00:27:41,230
from blood flowing from the mother.

386
00:27:49,930 --> 00:27:53,383
Oxygen is also absorbed indirectly through the branches.

387
00:27:57,580 --> 00:27:59,950
When red blood cells collide with them,

388
00:27:59,950 --> 00:28:03,283
the branches strip away the oxygen the cells are carrying.

389
00:28:09,770 --> 00:28:11,823
The mother also sends out messages,

390
00:28:14,650 --> 00:28:17,253
our old friends, the signaling molecules.

391
00:28:18,610 --> 00:28:20,720
In response to the mother's stretch out

392
00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:25,720
messages, the baby's branches are encouraged to spread out.

393
00:28:31,930 --> 00:28:36,550
More oxygen and nutrients then become available,

394
00:28:36,550 --> 00:28:38,693
allowing the baby's continued growth.

395
00:28:55,160 --> 00:28:57,160
Cutting edge research has been revealing

396
00:28:57,160 --> 00:29:00,070
more and more of these signaling molecules

397
00:29:00,070 --> 00:29:02,413
which are at work inside the placenta.

398
00:29:05,740 --> 00:29:07,720
Detailed genetic analyses are now

399
00:29:07,720 --> 00:29:09,460
helping us create a complete picture

400
00:29:09,460 --> 00:29:12,513
of molecules being exchanged in the placenta.

401
00:29:14,280 --> 00:29:15,660
So what we see is interesting.

402
00:29:15,660 --> 00:29:19,410
It's a lot of crosstalk going from both sides,

403
00:29:19,410 --> 00:29:21,810
so the maternal and fetal sides

404
00:29:22,870 --> 00:29:26,650
communicate a lot from the mom to the fetus,

405
00:29:26,650 --> 00:29:29,390
as well as, of course, a lot of signals

406
00:29:29,390 --> 00:29:32,540
also coming back on the other side,

407
00:29:32,540 --> 00:29:36,123
from the fetus to the maternal side.

408
00:29:37,720 --> 00:29:38,570
Staggering.

409
00:29:38,570 --> 00:29:42,693
Over 100 signaling molecules have been discovered so far.

410
00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:47,120
Scientists have been trying to decipher their functions,

411
00:29:51,860 --> 00:29:54,763
and they discovered that one of them has the power

412
00:29:54,763 --> 00:29:56,713
to dramatically sway the baby's growth.

413
00:30:01,390 --> 00:30:03,310
This molecule causes startling

414
00:30:03,310 --> 00:30:05,503
changes inside the mother's womb.

415
00:30:10,630 --> 00:30:14,053
Megumi Matsunaga is entering her fourth month of pregnancy.

416
00:30:16,200 --> 00:30:17,650
How are you feeling?
<v ->The

417
00:30:18,500 --> 00:30:20,093
morning sickness is pretty bad.

418
00:30:21,540 --> 00:30:24,540
I'm throwing up anything I eat and I can't keep fluids down.

419
00:30:29,290 --> 00:30:30,370
It will be about a month

420
00:30:30,370 --> 00:30:32,203
until her condition stabilizes.

421
00:30:34,060 --> 00:30:37,210
During this period, every mother would

422
00:30:37,210 --> 00:30:40,083
be wondering if her baby is growing and doing well.

423
00:30:41,330 --> 00:30:43,983
Now, the baby is about 10 centimeters long,

424
00:30:45,820 --> 00:30:47,503
and inside the baby's head,

425
00:30:58,890 --> 00:31:01,052
the cerebrum is the part that

426
00:31:01,052 --> 00:31:03,860
looks like a thin casing around the brain.

427
00:31:03,860 --> 00:31:06,853
There's a big gap between it and the core of the brain.

428
00:31:09,030 --> 00:31:10,450
There is still much growth ahead

429
00:31:10,450 --> 00:31:12,650
for the brain and other organs.

430
00:31:12,650 --> 00:31:14,800
At this stage, something astonishing

431
00:31:14,800 --> 00:31:16,633
is happening inside the womb.

432
00:31:18,790 --> 00:31:23,223
To carry the baby, the mother's body literally bears pain.

433
00:31:30,200 --> 00:31:34,483
And the pain comes from the baby's branches.

434
00:31:43,530 --> 00:31:47,073
Dr. Susan Fisher is the one who shed light on this process.

435
00:31:51,244 --> 00:31:54,570
Her research focused on those windows of riches,

436
00:31:58,360 --> 00:31:59,820
the openings where blood vessels

437
00:31:59,820 --> 00:32:01,363
form an outlet into the womb.

438
00:32:08,440 --> 00:32:13,050
These are electron microscope images of windows of riches.

439
00:32:13,050 --> 00:32:15,750
On the left is early stage pregnancy.

440
00:32:15,750 --> 00:32:17,623
On the right is from the mid-stage.

441
00:32:19,080 --> 00:32:21,690
It may not look much different, but when

442
00:32:21,690 --> 00:32:23,250
we show them at the same scale

443
00:32:23,250 --> 00:32:26,290
of magnification, the difference becomes clear.

444
00:32:26,290 --> 00:32:28,883
The opening on the right is 10 times bigger.

445
00:32:30,910 --> 00:32:34,543
Further investigations revealed a remarkable phenomenon.

446
00:32:35,736 --> 00:32:39,550
(gentle instrumental music)

447
00:32:39,550 --> 00:32:42,010
As the window of riches expands,

448
00:32:42,010 --> 00:32:43,900
cells, slightly different from the

449
00:32:43,900 --> 00:32:46,380
surrounding ones, start appearing.

450
00:32:46,380 --> 00:32:47,880
They are shown here in yellow.

451
00:32:49,770 --> 00:32:51,620
Let's take a further look in closeup.

452
00:32:53,028 --> 00:32:56,861
(object squeaks and whooshes)

453
00:32:57,960 --> 00:33:00,873
These cells, in fact, come from the baby.

454
00:33:01,800 --> 00:33:03,380
These type of cells are normally

455
00:33:03,380 --> 00:33:05,163
found in the baby's branches.

456
00:33:06,712 --> 00:33:07,920
But they are now gathering in the wall

457
00:33:07,920 --> 00:33:10,253
of the mother's womb in large numbers.

458
00:33:11,860 --> 00:33:14,740
So part of the placental cells

459
00:33:14,740 --> 00:33:18,490
have specialized molecular homing

460
00:33:18,490 --> 00:33:22,904
devices to be able to seek out the mother's

461
00:33:22,904 --> 00:33:27,904
blood vessels and invade the walls.

462
00:33:30,460 --> 00:33:32,540
In the mother's womb, such a dramatic

463
00:33:32,540 --> 00:33:34,530
event takes place, which will then

464
00:33:34,530 --> 00:33:36,393
spur the growth of the baby.

465
00:33:37,290 --> 00:33:39,340
Let's take a look at that pivotal moment.

466
00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:45,203
We are inside the placenta of the fetus in its fourth month.

467
00:33:47,930 --> 00:33:50,690
The baby's branches have grown so large

468
00:33:50,690 --> 00:33:52,863
they are now more like baby's trees.

469
00:33:53,760 --> 00:33:56,993
They have spread out an impressive crowd of branches.

470
00:33:58,950 --> 00:34:01,763
However, the branches have turned slightly black.

471
00:34:03,244 --> 00:34:06,744
(soft instrumental music)

472
00:34:08,050 --> 00:34:10,750
As the baby grows larger, the mother's

473
00:34:10,750 --> 00:34:12,670
blood supply can no longer deliver

474
00:34:12,670 --> 00:34:14,453
enough nutrients and oxygen.

475
00:34:19,720 --> 00:34:22,110
Without an adequate supply, the baby

476
00:34:22,110 --> 00:34:24,570
will no longer be able to grow.

477
00:34:24,570 --> 00:34:26,253
There's a severe bottleneck.

478
00:34:30,280 --> 00:34:33,180
But then, something starts being released by the branches.

479
00:34:37,560 --> 00:34:40,503
It's a signaling molecule called PGF.

480
00:34:41,800 --> 00:34:44,713
It sends the message I need to grow bigger.

481
00:34:46,220 --> 00:34:48,813
The message is received by the mother's uterus.

482
00:34:56,280 --> 00:34:58,988
Then, in response,

483
00:34:58,988 --> 00:35:01,905
(object whistling)

484
00:35:05,776 --> 00:35:07,260
(water whooshing)
The

485
00:35:07,260 --> 00:35:10,383
windows of riches open wider, allowing

486
00:35:12,850 --> 00:35:15,033
a larger volume of blood to flow.

487
00:35:18,350 --> 00:35:20,103
But this big event isn't over yet.

488
00:35:25,530 --> 00:35:27,730
The tips of the branches reach out even

489
00:35:27,730 --> 00:35:30,827
further, right to the uterine wall.

490
00:35:34,250 --> 00:35:35,900
Cells from the baby's branches

491
00:35:35,900 --> 00:35:37,993
penetrate the wall of the uterus,

492
00:35:48,900 --> 00:35:52,393
and it reappears on the inside of the window of riches.

493
00:35:56,899 --> 00:35:58,810
The cells shoulder their way through the walls

494
00:35:58,810 --> 00:36:03,810
of the window and then the walls of the blood vessel crumble

495
00:36:12,090 --> 00:36:16,293
to create a larger for the parental pipeline.

496
00:36:17,330 --> 00:36:21,163
Now, huge amounts of blood wash over the baby's branches.

497
00:36:28,720 --> 00:36:30,670
This is such an aggressive event,

498
00:36:30,670 --> 00:36:33,663
but necessary to release a life-giving shower.

499
00:36:39,170 --> 00:36:43,000
Part of the mother's body is literally torn open.

500
00:36:43,000 --> 00:36:45,030
The baby's branches can now absorb

501
00:36:45,030 --> 00:36:46,813
plenty of oxygen and nutrients.

502
00:36:48,540 --> 00:36:51,583
They pass it through the umbilical cord to the fetus,

503
00:36:53,280 --> 00:36:55,863
and this enables the fetus to grow much larger.

504
00:37:03,960 --> 00:37:06,470
This bleeding change should also be happening

505
00:37:06,470 --> 00:37:09,753
inside Megumi's body to protect her baby,

506
00:37:13,700 --> 00:37:15,950
but Megumi has been worrying about something.

507
00:37:19,700 --> 00:37:21,310
It's to do with surgery that she

508
00:37:21,310 --> 00:37:23,203
had before she became pregnant.

509
00:37:27,228 --> 00:37:28,300
(speaking in foreign language)

510
00:37:28,300 --> 00:37:30,850
There were over 10 uterine fibroids,

511
00:37:32,270 --> 00:37:34,470
so there was even talk about a hysterectomy.

512
00:37:37,990 --> 00:37:39,330
So when I was told that I might not

513
00:37:39,330 --> 00:37:41,743
be able to have children, that was so tough.

514
00:37:50,250 --> 00:37:53,350
Megumi managed to avoid hysterectomy,

515
00:37:53,350 --> 00:37:55,520
but the surgery to remove the fibroids

516
00:37:55,520 --> 00:37:57,923
resulted in a much thinner uterine wall.

517
00:38:03,580 --> 00:38:05,410
So she had been worried whether her womb

518
00:38:05,410 --> 00:38:07,610
was able to keep supplying large amounts

519
00:38:07,610 --> 00:38:09,743
of blood that the baby needed to grow.

520
00:38:15,470 --> 00:38:18,170
They're going to check the blood flow to the placenta.

521
00:38:32,520 --> 00:38:34,200
Megumi's womb had been supplying

522
00:38:34,200 --> 00:38:36,423
large volumes of blood to the baby.

523
00:38:42,457 --> 00:38:46,207
As a result, the baby has grown considerably.

524
00:38:57,612 --> 00:38:59,076
(gentle instrumental music)
An area

525
00:38:59,076 --> 00:39:00,430
that was an empty space at the last scan

526
00:39:00,430 --> 00:39:02,453
is now filled with brain cells.

527
00:39:11,770 --> 00:39:14,060
The due date is now just one month away.

528
00:39:22,263 --> 00:39:24,130
(waves crashing)

529
00:39:24,130 --> 00:39:25,910
The baby's brain is growing and

530
00:39:25,910 --> 00:39:28,083
developing inside the mother's body.

531
00:39:32,860 --> 00:39:34,690
When you compare the size of a baby's

532
00:39:34,690 --> 00:39:37,710
brain with an animal who shares our ancestry,

533
00:39:37,710 --> 00:39:40,270
like a newborn chimpanzee, the human

534
00:39:40,270 --> 00:39:42,593
baby's brain is three times larger.

535
00:39:47,610 --> 00:39:49,420
Our large brains have always been

536
00:39:49,420 --> 00:39:52,970
the driving force behind us, helping

537
00:39:52,970 --> 00:39:56,093
us build advanced societies and prosper so much.

538
00:39:58,210 --> 00:40:00,960
And what have helped our brains' highly sophisticated

539
00:40:00,960 --> 00:40:04,030
workings are those signaling molecules.

540
00:40:04,030 --> 00:40:06,280
In our brains, too, they are acting

541
00:40:06,280 --> 00:40:09,423
in a complex and amazingly elaborate way.

542
00:40:10,600 --> 00:40:12,470
The effect is no less remarkable

543
00:40:12,470 --> 00:40:15,203
than the miracles of the beginning of life.

544
00:40:16,360 --> 00:40:19,713
Now, another stunning world is about to be revealed.

545
00:40:23,120 --> 00:40:25,230
To make the brain's work visible,

546
00:40:25,230 --> 00:40:27,965
Naoki Matayoshi, well-known Japanese comedian

547
00:40:27,965 --> 00:40:32,057
and writer, was invited to take part in an experiment.

548
00:40:32,057 --> 00:40:33,784
(speaking in foreign language)

549
00:40:33,784 --> 00:40:36,034
(laughing)

550
00:40:38,500 --> 00:40:40,840
Naoki's sketches and books have been hugely popular

551
00:40:40,840 --> 00:40:44,633
in his country, full of fresh and unique ideas.

552
00:40:45,594 --> 00:40:49,261
(upbeat instrumental music)

553
00:40:52,350 --> 00:40:55,773
First, to find out what the brain actually looks like.

554
00:40:59,770 --> 00:41:02,960
The world's most advanced MRI scanner is revealing

555
00:41:10,540 --> 00:41:13,090
an intriguing, bushy structure hidden

556
00:41:13,090 --> 00:41:15,523
under the brain's wrinkly exterior.

557
00:41:17,650 --> 00:41:21,513
The wire-like tendrils you can see are bundles of neurons.

558
00:41:24,500 --> 00:41:26,490
Electrical impulses criss-cross the

559
00:41:26,490 --> 00:41:28,553
brain along these neural pathways.

560
00:41:34,580 --> 00:41:37,453
How exactly does the brain use this intricate network?

561
00:41:40,460 --> 00:41:43,240
(heels clacking)

562
00:41:43,240 --> 00:41:44,620
Here's an example.

563
00:41:44,620 --> 00:41:47,723
When Naoki sees the face of someone he knows on the street,

564
00:41:50,901 --> 00:41:53,568
(clock ticking)

565
00:41:54,640 --> 00:41:57,090
electrical signals flash through the bundles

566
00:41:57,090 --> 00:41:59,053
of neurons like lightning bolts.

567
00:42:04,060 --> 00:42:06,130
Let's watch it in slow motion.

568
00:42:06,130 --> 00:42:08,373
The marvel of a brain in action.

569
00:42:12,390 --> 00:42:16,570
The first part of the brain to respond is the visual cortex.

570
00:42:16,570 --> 00:42:18,263
It handles input from the eyes.

571
00:42:21,660 --> 00:42:24,700
In just 0.2 seconds, the signal

572
00:42:24,700 --> 00:42:26,713
propagates through the entire brain.

573
00:42:36,720 --> 00:42:38,670
The visual cortex renders a basic

574
00:42:38,670 --> 00:42:41,013
outline of objects seen by the eyes.

575
00:42:42,163 --> 00:42:45,040
(neuron pinging)

576
00:42:45,040 --> 00:42:47,190
It can be described as something like this.

577
00:42:48,350 --> 00:42:50,033
You can't be sure who it is yet.

578
00:42:54,270 --> 00:42:56,120
The signals then travel to a location

579
00:42:56,120 --> 00:42:58,323
called the fusiform face area.

580
00:43:00,790 --> 00:43:03,593
It's thought that face recognition takes place here.

581
00:43:07,240 --> 00:43:09,133
Now the brain knows who it is.

582
00:43:12,040 --> 00:43:15,053
Then the signal travels to the prefrontal cortex.

583
00:43:16,700 --> 00:43:18,670
This is where the emotion associated

584
00:43:18,670 --> 00:43:20,793
with recognizing a face is controlled.

585
00:43:27,640 --> 00:43:29,440
All this processing takes place

586
00:43:29,440 --> 00:43:31,573
in just two tenths of a second.

587
00:43:38,100 --> 00:43:40,620
It really does happen in a flash.

588
00:43:40,620 --> 00:43:43,123
A split-second electric impulse.

589
00:43:44,160 --> 00:43:46,663
But how does the signal travel so quickly?

590
00:43:50,360 --> 00:43:53,380
Now we'll dive into the brain at the microscopic level

591
00:43:54,350 --> 00:43:56,573
and see how elaborate this network is.

592
00:44:01,210 --> 00:44:03,923
This is part of Naoki's neural network.

593
00:44:06,610 --> 00:44:08,943
These wire-like structures are neurons.

594
00:44:10,660 --> 00:44:13,540
Long, thin, string-shaped nerve cells

595
00:44:13,540 --> 00:44:15,863
relay electrical impulses to each other.

596
00:44:17,810 --> 00:44:20,040
Let's zoom in even closer.

597
00:44:20,040 --> 00:44:23,033
There's a tiny gap between the ends of the neurons.

598
00:44:25,690 --> 00:44:28,883
Why doesn't this interrupt the passing of electric impulses?

599
00:44:32,220 --> 00:44:34,060
When the electrical impulse arrives

600
00:44:34,060 --> 00:44:37,983
at the end of one neuron,
(object crashes)

601
00:44:42,790 --> 00:44:45,513
a cloud of tiny particles is released.

602
00:44:49,670 --> 00:44:52,453
This substance is called Glutamic acid,

603
00:44:53,370 --> 00:44:55,593
and it's also a signaling molecule.

604
00:44:59,079 --> 00:45:02,517
And the message they carry is fire an electric impulse.

605
00:45:07,880 --> 00:45:09,330
When these signaling molecules are

606
00:45:09,330 --> 00:45:11,083
received by the neighboring cell,

607
00:45:13,370 --> 00:45:15,663
another electric impulse fires up.

608
00:45:18,320 --> 00:45:21,580
Between cells, signals are not being transmitted

609
00:45:21,580 --> 00:45:25,473
by electric impulses, but by chemical messages.

610
00:45:31,870 --> 00:45:33,940
The time it takes to pass along this chemical

611
00:45:33,940 --> 00:45:37,223
message is just one ten-thousandth of a second.

612
00:45:42,510 --> 00:45:44,540
From electrical impulse to chemical

613
00:45:44,540 --> 00:45:47,453
message and then back again.

614
00:45:51,270 --> 00:45:54,217
That's how the signal is passed from neuron to neuron.

615
00:45:56,201 --> 00:45:59,701
(soft instrumental music)

616
00:46:03,010 --> 00:46:04,690
But why is it necessary for chemical

617
00:46:04,690 --> 00:46:06,945
messages to be involved at all?

618
00:46:06,945 --> 00:46:10,048
(chemicals whooshing)

619
00:46:10,048 --> 00:46:12,978
(funky instrumental music)
(bubbling)

620
00:46:12,978 --> 00:46:14,390
The brain actually uses dozens

621
00:46:14,390 --> 00:46:16,333
of different signaling molecules,

622
00:46:18,840 --> 00:46:20,800
and they can create variations in how

623
00:46:20,800 --> 00:46:22,903
these electrical signals are transmitted.

624
00:46:26,220 --> 00:46:29,053
For example, if Naoki sees a beautiful woman,

625
00:46:32,994 --> 00:46:35,210
a particular type of signaling molecule

626
00:46:35,210 --> 00:46:39,070
inside the brain shoots off in a big burst.

627
00:46:39,070 --> 00:46:42,623
It says send electrical signals now.

628
00:46:46,470 --> 00:46:49,173
Together, this makes the neurons more active.

629
00:46:52,000 --> 00:46:56,080
Boosted signals are propelled widely throughout the brain.

630
00:46:56,080 --> 00:46:59,243
Then, that person's face is strongly imprinted in memory.

631
00:47:04,390 --> 00:47:08,393
This footage shows neurons furiously relaying impulses.

632
00:47:15,310 --> 00:47:17,853
Each twinkling light here is a neuron.

633
00:47:19,580 --> 00:47:22,923
Among them flows a cascade of signaling chemicals.

634
00:47:28,500 --> 00:47:31,220
Dozens of signaling molecules zoom around more

635
00:47:31,220 --> 00:47:34,800
than 100 billion neurons, and in almost

636
00:47:34,800 --> 00:47:37,700
infinite combinations, they interact,

637
00:47:37,700 --> 00:47:41,160
and at times, form quite unique circuits.

638
00:47:41,160 --> 00:47:43,713
This enables us to come up with new ideas.

639
00:47:47,350 --> 00:47:49,780
Messaging molecules are key to our cutting

640
00:47:49,780 --> 00:47:52,740
edge understanding of the complex and sophisticated

641
00:47:52,740 --> 00:47:54,713
workings of the human brain, too.

642
00:48:05,954 --> 00:48:08,064
(women laughing and chattering)

643
00:48:08,064 --> 00:48:09,766
It's Megumi's delivery day.

644
00:48:09,766 --> 00:48:13,516
(speaks in foreign language)

645
00:48:18,650 --> 00:48:21,430
As Megumi had surgery for uterine fibroids

646
00:48:21,430 --> 00:48:24,533
before her pregnancy, her baby will be

647
00:48:24,533 --> 00:48:27,360
delivered by Cesarean section in order

648
00:48:27,360 --> 00:48:29,721
to minimize any damage to her womb.

649
00:48:29,721 --> 00:48:32,638
(monitors beeping)

650
00:48:33,850 --> 00:48:37,553
An hour into the delivery,
(baby cries)

651
00:48:41,236 --> 00:48:45,153
(uplifting instrumental music)

652
00:48:52,960 --> 00:48:56,430
The newborn's cries ring throughout the delivery room.

653
00:48:56,430 --> 00:48:58,283
It's a very healthy girl.

654
00:49:12,520 --> 00:49:14,470
The baby that had started out its life

655
00:49:14,470 --> 00:49:17,900
as a tiny fertilized egg and cared

656
00:49:17,900 --> 00:49:19,943
for preciously in her mother's womb.

657
00:49:21,100 --> 00:49:23,143
It's nice to meet you, finally.

658
00:49:24,238 --> 00:49:26,571
(baby crying)

659
00:49:26,571 --> 00:49:30,901
(uplifting instrumental music)

660
00:49:30,901 --> 00:49:32,600
(gentle instrumental music)

661
00:49:32,600 --> 00:49:35,693
The beginning of life is full of wonder and awe.

662
00:49:37,310 --> 00:49:39,440
The new knowledge about signaling molecules

663
00:49:39,440 --> 00:49:42,440
involving fetus development has also led

664
00:49:42,440 --> 00:49:44,300
to some revolutionary treatments

665
00:49:44,300 --> 00:49:46,263
to save the lives of infants.

666
00:49:47,710 --> 00:49:50,250
Landry Mullholland is 12 years old.

667
00:49:50,250 --> 00:49:51,630
Hi, Landry.
<v ->Can

668
00:49:51,630 --> 00:49:53,444
I introduce you to a friend?
She

669
00:49:53,444 --> 00:49:55,120
suffers from an impaired function of her bladder,

670
00:49:55,120 --> 00:49:57,713
intestines, gallbladder, and other organs.

671
00:49:57,713 --> 00:49:59,224
She has a hard time being able to eat

672
00:49:59,224 --> 00:50:01,140
'cause the nerves in her bowel, they don't squeeze.

673
00:50:01,140 --> 00:50:02,200
Doctors think it may've

674
00:50:02,200 --> 00:50:04,650
been due to disruptions in some signaling

675
00:50:04,650 --> 00:50:06,433
molecules before she was born.

676
00:50:08,140 --> 00:50:09,680
Right here you get an IV every

677
00:50:09,680 --> 00:50:10,980
day where you get nutrition.

678
00:50:10,980 --> 00:50:11,880
Can you show them?

679
00:50:13,430 --> 00:50:15,113
So what's it like to get TPN?

680
00:50:16,450 --> 00:50:20,390
Well, it's kinda weird, but it helps, so.

681
00:50:20,390 --> 00:50:22,360
How long are you on TPN a day?

682
00:50:22,360 --> 00:50:24,760
Landry has had numerous operations.

683
00:50:25,790 --> 00:50:30,230
But recently, the condition of her liver started to worsen.

684
00:50:30,230 --> 00:50:32,890
Liver tissues in
<v ->Dr. Takanori

685
00:50:32,890 --> 00:50:34,993
Takebe is now involved in her treatment.

686
00:50:36,530 --> 00:50:38,900
As we saw earlier, he conducts research

687
00:50:38,900 --> 00:50:40,823
on the process of organ development.

688
00:50:43,590 --> 00:50:48,590
We can save you by your own liver tissues you can growing.

689
00:50:48,660 --> 00:50:51,911
Watching a baby grow and develop and

690
00:50:51,911 --> 00:50:54,557
That's cool.
<v ->Kind of cool, isn't it?

691
00:50:54,557 --> 00:50:57,760
Yeah.
(laughing)

692
00:50:57,760 --> 00:50:59,130
Thank you so much for meeting.

693
00:50:59,130 --> 00:51:00,650
Thank you, so much nice meeting you.

694
00:51:00,650 --> 00:51:02,648
Thank you for everything.
<v ->My great pleasure.

695
00:51:02,648 --> 00:51:03,725
Yours too.
<v ->Alright, take care.

696
00:51:03,725 --> 00:51:05,100
You too.
<v ->Have a good day.

697
00:51:05,100 --> 00:51:06,620
Dr. Takebe is devleoping

698
00:51:06,620 --> 00:51:10,683
a treatment that uses IPS cells to create a mini liver.

699
00:51:11,900 --> 00:51:13,730
The idea is that when it's placed

700
00:51:13,730 --> 00:51:15,810
in the patient's ailing liver,

701
00:51:15,810 --> 00:51:18,403
it will begin to help regenerate itself.

702
00:51:19,650 --> 00:51:22,440
This is at the frontier of regenerative medicine

703
00:51:22,440 --> 00:51:25,283
being tackled by researchers around the world.

704
00:51:26,960 --> 00:51:29,623
But just making her liver cells is not enough.

705
00:51:30,500 --> 00:51:33,563
He has to make liver tissue that functions as an organ.

706
00:51:35,000 --> 00:51:37,113
The liver is a very complex organ.

707
00:51:38,108 --> 00:51:40,640
(soft instrumental music)
This

708
00:51:40,640 --> 00:51:42,610
footage of living liver cells was

709
00:51:42,610 --> 00:51:45,063
taken using an 8K microscope.

710
00:51:46,900 --> 00:51:49,003
Visible in blue are liver cells.

711
00:51:50,590 --> 00:51:53,140
The other cells around them in red are capillaries.

712
00:51:56,044 --> 00:51:57,780
For the liver to function, it needs

713
00:51:57,780 --> 00:51:59,723
this complex tissue structure.

714
00:52:02,580 --> 00:52:03,910
But the structure is just too

715
00:52:03,910 --> 00:52:06,203
challenging to be created artificially.

716
00:52:14,080 --> 00:52:16,116
So Dr. Takebe's method is to simulate

717
00:52:16,116 --> 00:52:18,533
what happens in the mother's uterus.

718
00:52:24,460 --> 00:52:26,520
He uses IPS cells that are in the

719
00:52:26,520 --> 00:52:28,763
process of changing into liver cells.

720
00:52:29,930 --> 00:52:31,320
They are mixed with blood vessel

721
00:52:31,320 --> 00:52:33,453
cells and supporting tissue cells.

722
00:52:37,480 --> 00:52:39,610
This creates conditions similar to those

723
00:52:39,610 --> 00:52:41,443
when the liver forms in the fetus.

724
00:52:44,440 --> 00:52:46,260
Then, he cultures the cell mixture

725
00:52:46,260 --> 00:52:49,010
in an environment that is similar to the mother's womb.

726
00:52:52,920 --> 00:52:55,070
Dr. Takebe hopes that this will induce

727
00:52:55,070 --> 00:52:57,840
the cells to send out signaling molecules

728
00:52:57,840 --> 00:52:59,630
and trigger the process of building

729
00:52:59,630 --> 00:53:01,453
the liver's complex structure.

730
00:53:05,070 --> 00:53:08,280
After many experiments, the dispersed cells

731
00:53:13,060 --> 00:53:15,373
begin clumping together on their own.

732
00:53:26,810 --> 00:53:31,383
The product is a tiny liver, just a few millimeters in size,

733
00:53:33,590 --> 00:53:36,393
with a network of blood vessels inside.

734
00:53:38,210 --> 00:53:40,513
But will it function inside the living body?

735
00:53:42,830 --> 00:53:44,450
The tiny livers were implanted

736
00:53:44,450 --> 00:53:46,593
in mice with impaired liver function.

737
00:53:49,340 --> 00:53:53,373
This operation dramatically increased their 30-day survival.

738
00:53:56,440 --> 00:53:58,240
A miniature liver that functions

739
00:53:58,240 --> 00:54:00,903
in an animal has been successfully created.

740
00:54:03,080 --> 00:54:04,533
This is a world first.

741
00:54:09,760 --> 00:54:13,970
In 2017, for the next step toward treating people,

742
00:54:13,970 --> 00:54:16,040
Dr. Takebe launched a lab that can

743
00:54:16,040 --> 00:54:18,153
mass-produce these mini livers.

744
00:54:24,104 --> 00:54:25,440
He hopes to start human trials

745
00:54:25,440 --> 00:54:29,333
in 2020 on children suffering from serious liver diseases.

746
00:54:35,019 --> 00:54:35,852
(speaking in foreign language)

747
00:54:35,852 --> 00:54:37,280
The purpose of our research is to save

748
00:54:37,280 --> 00:54:38,980
the lives of children like Landry.

749
00:54:40,030 --> 00:54:43,610
I hope we will find a cure for them using these mini livers.

750
00:54:43,610 --> 00:54:45,290
I expect that this method will become

751
00:54:45,290 --> 00:54:48,053
available for clinical use in the very near future.

752
00:54:51,240 --> 00:54:53,280
Researchers around the globe are working

753
00:54:53,280 --> 00:54:58,147
rapidly to create these artificial organs called organoids.

754
00:55:07,810 --> 00:55:09,840
These are stomach organoids,

755
00:55:09,840 --> 00:55:11,803
and these are intestine organoids.

756
00:55:17,610 --> 00:55:19,596
Here is a stomach

757
00:55:19,596 --> 00:55:21,446
organoid that releases stomach acids.

758
00:55:25,200 --> 00:55:27,300
And this intestinal organoid is showing

759
00:55:27,300 --> 00:55:30,130
an involuntary muscular wave-like movement

760
00:55:30,130 --> 00:55:31,973
needed to pass food through the gut.

761
00:55:34,878 --> 00:55:37,310
Even a kidney, known to be one of the

762
00:55:37,310 --> 00:55:39,513
most complex organs in our body.

763
00:55:40,720 --> 00:55:42,140
A part of its structure has now

764
00:55:42,140 --> 00:55:44,943
been successfully created in a laboratory.

765
00:55:49,030 --> 00:55:51,730
These organoid technology gives us a window

766
00:55:51,730 --> 00:55:54,060
to understand each of these different organs,

767
00:55:54,060 --> 00:55:56,960
and ultimately, it will be important to synthesize

768
00:55:56,960 --> 00:55:59,040
all of this together to get a more complete

769
00:55:59,040 --> 00:56:01,190
picture of the mysteries of the human body.

770
00:56:03,780 --> 00:56:05,910
Precious, irreplaceable lives

771
00:56:05,910 --> 00:56:07,834
continue to join us every day.

772
00:56:07,834 --> 00:56:10,334
(baby crying)

773
00:56:20,800 --> 00:56:24,013
Each one of us is the product of so many miracles.

774
00:56:33,540 --> 00:56:34,917
You also started your journey

775
00:56:34,917 --> 00:56:37,193
from just one fertilized egg.

776
00:56:39,480 --> 00:56:41,713
This is where your story began.

777
00:56:44,030 --> 00:56:46,410
One by one, as signaling molecules

778
00:56:46,410 --> 00:56:50,083
are released, your various organs started forming.

779
00:56:52,810 --> 00:56:54,640
And when you sent out messages to allow

780
00:56:54,640 --> 00:56:56,740
you further growth in the womb, your

781
00:56:56,740 --> 00:56:59,020
mother's body responded, continuing

782
00:56:59,020 --> 00:57:01,733
to supply you with her riches.

783
00:57:01,733 --> 00:57:05,066
(blood cells whooshing)

784
00:57:13,864 --> 00:57:16,040
You are the result of the highly complex,

785
00:57:16,040 --> 00:57:19,103
sophisticated workings of the human body.

786
00:57:24,220 --> 00:57:28,206
Megumi Matsunaga's baby is now five months old.

787
00:57:28,206 --> 00:57:32,123
(speaking in foreign language)

788
00:57:34,770 --> 00:57:36,420
She is now three times her birth

789
00:57:36,420 --> 00:57:37,993
weight and is getting bigger.

790
00:57:46,740 --> 00:57:49,230
A remarkable exchange with microscopic

791
00:57:49,230 --> 00:57:52,400
messages takes place between our internal organs

792
00:57:53,860 --> 00:57:57,300
to sustain our lives in an unimaginably

793
00:57:57,300 --> 00:57:59,653
elaborate and complex manner.

794
00:58:00,960 --> 00:58:03,690
(speaking in foreign language)

795
00:58:03,690 --> 00:58:06,290
As we gain further insights into our bodies'

796
00:58:06,290 --> 00:58:10,213
inner networks,
(inspirational music)

797
00:58:14,570 --> 00:58:19,037
somehow, life feels more precious than ever.

798
00:58:19,037 --> 00:58:22,204
(inspirational music)