Scientists have grown miniature human tear glands capable of crying.
Researchers say the organoids serve as a model to study how certain cells in the human tear gland produce tears or fail to do so.
They hope it may become possible to transplant the lab-grown glands into patients with non-functioning tear glands.
The tear gland is in the upper part of the eye socket, and secretes tear fluid which is essential for lubrication and nutrition of the cornea and has antibacterial components.
Ophthalmologist and researcher on the project, Rachel Kalmann, from UMC Utrecht in the Netherlands, said: “Dysfunction of the tear gland, for example in Sjogren’s syndrome, can have serious consequences including dryness of the eye or even ulceration of the cornea.