Organoids: Transforming Biomedical Research and Medicine

O�?uzhan Demir^*
*Correspondence: OÄ?uzhan Demir, Department of Integrative Cancer Studies, Anatolia University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey, Email:

Introduction

Organoid technology has emerged as a groundbreaking field, providing complex three-dimensional models that significantly advance biomedical research by mimicking human physiological conditions more accurately than traditional methods. One notable development involves engineering multicellular liver organoids. This innovative approach makes them highly suitable for high-throughput drug screening applications. Researchers carefully control cellular environments and interactions, resulting in models that closely replicate human liver function, offering a powerful platform for toxicology and pharmacological studies [1].

Beyond liver research, these models extend to neurological investigations. A human cerebral organoid model, for example, proves invaluable for studying Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) infection. This model enables scientists to observe viral tropism and host responses within a complex neural environment, providing crucial insights into the neuropathogenesis of this virus. Ultimately, this work can accelerate antiviral drug discovery [2].

Similarly, human intestinal organoid models have been developed to precisely evaluate epithelial barrier function. This is critical for understanding intestinal diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and for screening compounds capable of modulating barrier integrity, offering a powerful tool for developing new therapeutic strategies [3].

The utility of organoids also includes advancements in personalized medicine for kidney diseases. Researchers have created human kidney organoids featuring functional nephrons, paving the way for personalized disease modeling. These advanced organoids achieve a more accurate representation of individual patient conditions, opening new avenues for understanding specific kidney diseases and testing patient-specific treatments [4].

In the context of infectious diseases, human lung organoids have demonstrated their importance by revealing that SARS-CoV-2 infection triggers a significant pro-inflammatory response, largely mediated by interferon-gamma signaling. This finding provides crucial insights into COVID-19 pathogenesis in lung tissue and helps identify potential targets for therapeutic intervention [5].

Furthermore, intestinal organoids, both mouse and human, serve as versatile platforms to model genetic diseases and the intricate processes of cancer development. These models offer a powerful tool for investigating disease mechanisms and testing novel therapeutic strategies within a physiologically relevant context [6].

Personalized medicine also benefits from human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived organoids, particularly in cardiovascular diseases. These models empower researchers to study disease mechanisms unique to individual patients and test drug efficacy, accelerating the development of tailored therapies [7].

The overall field of organoid technology is continually boosted by significant advancements in bioengineering techniques. Bioengineering approaches are enhancing the complexity and functionality of organoids, making them increasingly physiologically relevant for diverse applications, including advanced disease modeling, robust drug discovery, and innovative regenerative medicine solutions [8].

Pancreatic organoids highlight their utility in modeling diabetes and propelling drug discovery efforts. These 3D models facilitate detailed study of pancreatic cell function and dysfunction, providing a more representative platform than traditional 2D cultures for identifying and testing new therapeutic compounds [9].

Finally, human gastric organoids play a critical role in advancing translational cancer research. These models accurately recapitulate the cellular complexity of the human stomach, allowing scientists to study gastric cancer initiation, progression, and therapeutic responses with greater precision than conventional methods [10].

Description

Organoid technology has rapidly advanced, providing sophisticated 3D models that faithfully recapitulate human tissue architecture and function, proving invaluable across various biomedical applications. These models overcome limitations of traditional 2D cultures, offering a more physiologically relevant environment for research. For instance, innovative approaches now enable the engineering of multicellular liver organoids specifically designed for high-throughput drug screening. By precisely controlling the cellular microenvironment and interactions, these models mimic human liver function closely, establishing a powerful platform for toxicology and pharmacological studies [C001]. In a similar vein, pancreatic organoids are demonstrating significant utility in modeling diabetes, accelerating the discovery of new therapeutic drugs. These 3D systems allow for an in-depth study of pancreatic cell function and dysfunction, representing a more accurate model for identifying and testing novel compounds compared to conventional 2D cultures [C009]. The overarching advancements in bioengineering techniques are continuously enhancing the complexity and functionality of organoids, making them increasingly relevant for disease modeling, drug discovery, and regenerative medicine [C008].

The study of infectious diseases has profoundly benefited from organoid models. A human cerebral organoid model, for instance, has been instrumental in investigating Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) infection. This model offers a unique opportunity to observe viral tropism and host responses within a complex neural environment, yielding crucial insights into the neuropathogenesis of this virus and potentially speeding up the development of antiviral drugs [C002]. Similarly, human lung organoids have provided critical understanding into the pathogenesis of COVID-19. Studies show that SARS-CoV-2 infection in these lung organoids triggers a significant pro-inflammatory response, primarily mediated by interferon-gamma signaling. This discovery helps identify potential targets for therapeutic interventions against the virus [C005].

Organoids are also transforming personalized medicine and disease modeling, offering patient-specific insights. The creation of human kidney organoids that incorporate functional nephrons is a major step forward, enabling personalized disease modeling. These advanced organoids allow for a more precise representation of individual patient conditions, opening new avenues for understanding complex kidney diseases and facilitating the testing of patient-specific treatments [C004]. Furthermore, human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived organoids present a promising path for personalized medicine in cardiovascular diseases. These models empower researchers to investigate disease mechanisms unique to individual patients and assess drug efficacy, thereby accelerating the development of truly tailored therapies [C007].

The gastrointestinal system also sees extensive utility. Researchers have developed human intestinal organoid models specifically to evaluate epithelial barrier function with precision. This is crucial for gaining insights into intestinal diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, and for screening compounds that can modulate barrier integrity, providing a robust tool for developing new therapeutic strategies [C003]. Moreover, both mouse and human intestinal organoids serve as versatile platforms, not only for modeling genetic diseases but also for unraveling the complex processes of cancer development. They are powerful tools for investigating disease mechanisms and testing novel therapeutic strategies within a physiologically relevant context [C006]. Correspondingly, human gastric organoids play a pivotal role in advancing translational cancer research. These models accurately recapitulate the cellular complexity of the human stomach, allowing scientists to study gastric cancer initiation, progression, and therapeutic responses more precisely than conventional methods [C010].

Conclusion

Organoids represent a transformative tool in biomedical research, offering advanced 3D models that closely mimic human physiological functions for diverse applications. Researchers have engineered multicellular liver organoids for high-throughput drug screening and toxicology studies, providing a powerful platform to assess drug effects. Similarly, human cerebral organoids serve as models for investigating viral infections like Enterovirus D68, crucial for understanding neuropathogenesis and accelerating antiviral drug discovery. Intestinal organoids are utilized to evaluate epithelial barrier function, understand diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, and screen compounds modulating barrier integrity. These models also extend to genetic diseases and cancer development, demonstrating their versatility. Kidney organoids featuring functional nephrons allow for personalized disease modeling, offering accurate representations of patient-specific conditions for understanding kidney diseases and tailoring treatments. Lung organoids have been instrumental in studying SARS-CoV-2 infection, revealing pro-inflammatory responses mediated by interferon-gamma signaling and identifying potential therapeutic targets for COVID-19. Furthermore, human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived organoids hold promise for personalized medicine in cardiovascular diseases, enabling the study of unique disease mechanisms and drug efficacy for tailored therapies. Pancreatic organoids are pivotal for modeling diabetes and drug discovery, while human gastric organoids advance translational cancer research by recapitulating stomach cellular complexity. Bioengineering advancements continue to enhance organoid complexity and functionality, making them more physiologically relevant across disease modeling, drug discovery, and regenerative medicine. This broad application spectrum underscores organoidsâ?? critical role in developing new therapeutic strategies and understanding complex biological processes.

Acknowledgement

None

Conflict of Interest

None

References

Giulio R, Florian MT, Wen L. "Engineering multicellularity to generate liver organoids suitable for drug screening".Nat Biomed Eng 5 (2023):1196-1207.

Indexed at, Google Scholar, Crossref

Yaara X, Brian ST, Yugo N. "A human cerebral organoid model for studying enterovirus D68 infection".Nat Commun 13 (2022):1363.

Indexed at, Google Scholar, Crossref

Leilani LB, Jihun K, Wanlu L. "A Human Intestinal Organoid Model for Evaluating Epithelial Barrier Function".ACS Biomater Sci Eng 7 (2021):3158-3170.

Indexed at, Google Scholar, Crossref

Bertrand LG, Sara P, Catrin W. "Human kidney organoids with functional nephrons for personalized disease modelling".Nat Commun 15 (2024):378.

Indexed at, Google Scholar, Crossref

Jinrong H, Yuqing H, Xiaogang S. "SARS-CoV-2 infection induces a pro-inflammatory response in human lung organoids through interferon-γ signaling".Cell Host Microbe 31 (2023):477-491.e6.

Indexed at, Google Scholar, Crossref

Jarno D, Ruben vB, Francis B. "Use of Mouse and Human Intestinal Organoids as a Platform to Model Genetic and Cancer Development".Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol 84 (2020):107-115.

Indexed at, Google Scholar, Crossref

Cheng-Ta L, Shinn-Chih Y, Wei H. "Personalized Medicine of Cardiovascular Diseases Using Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Organoids".J Cardiovasc Transl Res 14 (2021):236-248.

Indexed at, Google Scholar, Crossref

Takanori T, Yoshiki K, Nao O. "Bioengineering and organoid technology".Cell Stem Cell 29 (2022):1628-1647.

Indexed at, Google Scholar, Crossref

David H, Martina M, Federica B. "Pancreatic Organoids for Disease Modeling and Drug Discovery in Diabetes".Cells 12 (2023):1346.

Indexed at, Google Scholar, Crossref

Niamh CB, Jing W, Xiaotao M. "Human Gastric Organoids for Translational Cancer Research".Front Cell Dev Biol 8 (2020):595697.

Indexed at, Google Scholar, Crossref