Development and maturation of the spinal cord: implications of molecular and genetic defects

Progress in the generation of spinal cord organoids over the past decade and future perspectives

Spinal cord organoids are three-dimensional tissues derived from stem cells that recapitulate the primary morphological and functional characteristics of the spinal cord in vivo. As emerging bioengineering methods have led to the optimization of cell culture protocols, spinal cord organoids technology has made remarkable advancements in the past decade. Our literature search found that current spinal cord organoids do not only dynamically simulate neural tube formation but also exhibit diverse cytoarchitecture along the dorsal-ventral and rostral-caudal axes. Moreover, fused organoids that integrate motor neurons and other regionally specific organoids exhibit intricate neural circuits that allows for functional assessment. These qualities make spinal cord organoids valuable tools for disease modeling, drug screening, and tissue regeneration. By utilizing this emergent technology, researchers have made significant progress in investigating the pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets of spinal cord diseases. However, at present, spinal cord organoid technology remains in its infancy and has not been widely applied in translational medicine. Establishment of the next generation of spinal cord organoids will depend on good manufacturing practice standards and needs to focus on diverse cell phenotypes and electrophysiological functionality evaluation.

Sacrococcygeal teratoma with intradural extension: case report

Intradural sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT) is a rare entity that has been reported in only a few cases previously. The authors present the case of a 2-week-old, otherwise healthy neonate with a mass in the buttock. The imaging findings and the high level of serum alpha-fetoprotein were highly suggestive of SCT. On operation the authors found intradural extension of the teratoma. The lesion was managed successfully without any remaining sequelae. The authors briefly review the currently proposed etiology regarding teratoma formation and the intradural extension of SCT.