Organoid

Organoid

An organoid is a miniaturized and simplified version of an organ produced in vitro in three dimensions that shows realistic micro-anatomy. They are derived from one or a few cells from a tissue, embryonic stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells, which can self-organize in three-dimensional culture owing to their self-renewal and differentiation capacities. The technique for growing organoids has been shown to be possible in a range of tissues, including intestine, kidney, pancreas, brain, liver, and lung.

History[edit | edit source]

The term "organoid" was first used in the 1950s to describe structures grown from tissue explants and organ rudiments. In the 1970s, the term was used to describe the products of teratocarcinomas. In the 1980s, the term was used to describe in vitro cultures of normal mouse mammary epithelial cells. In the 2000s, the term was used to describe structures derived from pluripotent stem cells.

Types[edit | edit source]

There are two main types of organoids, which are distinguished by their origin:

Adult stem cell-derived organoids (ASC organoids), also known as tissue-derived organoids, are derived from adult stem cells. They are capable of self-renewal and self-organization, and they can mimic the in vivo organ or part of the organ from which they are derived.

Pluripotent stem cell-derived organoids (PSC organoids), also known as embryonic stem cell-derived organoids or induced pluripotent stem cell-derived organoids, are derived from pluripotent stem cells. They are capable of self-renewal and self-organization, and they can mimic the in vivo organ or part of the organ that they are programmed to become.

Applications[edit | edit source]

Organoids have potential applications in a number of areas, including:

Disease modeling: Organoids can be used to model diseases, which can help in understanding the mechanisms of diseases and in developing and testing potential treatments.

Regenerative medicine: Organoids can be used in regenerative medicine, for example, to replace damaged or diseased organs or parts of organs.

Drug testing: Organoids can be used for drug testing, for example, to test the efficacy and safety of new drugs.

Personalized medicine: Organoids can be used in personalized medicine, for example, to test the efficacy and safety of drugs on an individual's own cells.

See also[edit | edit source]

Organoid Resources
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