1
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Mahajani S, Salahi A, Gonzalez B, Nelson C, Hsiung F. Decoding complexity: the need to enhance precision and streamline spatial understanding in neuroscience. Neural Regen Res 2025; 20:801-802. [PMID: 38886946 DOI: 10.4103/nrr.nrr-d-23-02067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
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2
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Zhao Y, Liu K, Wang Y, Ma Y, Guo W, Shi C. Human-mouse chimeric brain models constructed from iPSC-derived brain cells: Applications and challenges. Exp Neurol 2024; 379:114848. [PMID: 38857749 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2024.114848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
The establishment of reliable human brain models is pivotal for elucidating specific disease mechanisms and facilitating the discovery of novel therapeutic strategies for human brain disorders. Human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) exhibit remarkable self-renewal capabilities and can differentiate into specialized cell types. This makes them a valuable cell source for xenogeneic or allogeneic transplantation. Human-mouse chimeric brain models constructed from iPSC-derived brain cells have emerged as valuable tools for modeling human brain diseases and exploring potential therapeutic strategies for brain disorders. Moreover, the integration and functionality of grafted stem cells has been effectively assessed using these models. Therefore, this review provides a comprehensive overview of recent progress in differentiating human iPSC into various highly specialized types of brain cells. This review evaluates the characteristics and functions of the human-mouse chimeric brain model. We highlight its potential roles in brain function and its ability to reconstruct neural circuitry in vivo. Additionally, we elucidate factors that influence the integration and differentiation of human iPSC-derived brain cells in vivo. This review further sought to provide suitable research models for cell transplantation therapy. These research models provide new insights into neuropsychiatric disorders, infectious diseases, and brain injuries, thereby advancing related clinical and academic research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya Zhao
- Laboratory Animal Center, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, PR China
| | - Ke Liu
- Laboratory Animal Center, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, PR China; Gansu University of traditional Chinese medicine, Lanzhou 730030, PR China
| | - Yinghua Wang
- Medical College of Yan'an University, Yan'an 716000, PR China
| | - Yifan Ma
- Laboratory Animal Center, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, PR China; Gansu University of traditional Chinese medicine, Lanzhou 730030, PR China
| | - Wenwen Guo
- Laboratory Animal Center, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, PR China
| | - Changhong Shi
- Laboratory Animal Center, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, PR China.
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3
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Liu H, Mei F, Ye R, Han X, Wang S, Ding Y, Zhi Y, Pang K, Guo W, Lu B. APOE3ch alleviates Aβ and tau pathology and neurodegeneration in the human APP NL-G-F cerebral organoid model of Alzheimer's disease. Cell Res 2024; 34:451-454. [PMID: 38609581 PMCID: PMC11143179 DOI: 10.1038/s41422-024-00957-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Hang Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Fan Mei
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.
| | - Rongrong Ye
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- 4B Technologies, Limited, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinyu Han
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- 4B Technologies, Limited, Shanghai, China
| | - Shudan Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Ding
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yun Zhi
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Keliang Pang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Guo
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Bai Lu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
- Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence, Beijing, China.
- Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
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4
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Chen C, Lee S, Zyner KG, Fernando M, Nemeruck V, Wong E, Marshall LL, Wark JR, Aryamanesh N, Tam PPL, Graham ME, Gonzalez-Cordero A, Yang P. Trans-omic profiling uncovers molecular controls of early human cerebral organoid formation. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114219. [PMID: 38748874 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Defining the molecular networks orchestrating human brain formation is crucial for understanding neurodevelopment and neurological disorders. Challenges in acquiring early brain tissue have incentivized the use of three-dimensional human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived neural organoids to recapitulate neurodevelopment. To elucidate the molecular programs that drive this highly dynamic process, here, we generate a comprehensive trans-omic map of the phosphoproteome, proteome, and transcriptome of the exit of pluripotency and neural differentiation toward human cerebral organoids (hCOs). These data reveal key phospho-signaling events and their convergence on transcriptional factors to regulate hCO formation. Comparative analysis with developing human and mouse embryos demonstrates the fidelity of our hCOs in modeling embryonic brain development. Finally, we demonstrate that biochemical modulation of AKT signaling can control hCO differentiation. Together, our data provide a comprehensive resource to study molecular controls in human embryonic brain development and provide a guide for the future development of hCO differentiation protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carissa Chen
- Computational Systems Biology Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; Embryology Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Scott Lee
- Stem Cell and Organoid Facility, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Katherine G Zyner
- Computational Systems Biology Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Milan Fernando
- Stem Cell and Organoid Facility, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Victoria Nemeruck
- Stem Cell Medicine Group, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Emilie Wong
- Stem Cell Medicine Group, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Lee L Marshall
- Bioinformatics Group, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Jesse R Wark
- Synapse Proteomics, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Nader Aryamanesh
- Bioinformatics Group, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Patrick P L Tam
- Embryology Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Mark E Graham
- Synapse Proteomics, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
| | - Anai Gonzalez-Cordero
- Stem Cell and Organoid Facility, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; Stem Cell Medicine Group, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
| | - Pengyi Yang
- Computational Systems Biology Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; Charles Perkins Centre, School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
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5
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Chen W, Jiang X, Liang W, Bai H, Xu M, Liu Z, Yi L, Liu Y, Huang Y, Zhang Y, Xu L, Xie B, Zhang N, Yu J, Lu J, Xiao H, Li X. SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variants Show Attenuated Neurovirulence Compared with the Wild-Type Strain in Elderly Human Brain Spheroids. RESEARCH (WASHINGTON, D.C.) 2024; 7:0376. [PMID: 38741604 PMCID: PMC11089278 DOI: 10.34133/research.0376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 Omicron variants still causes neurological complications in elderly individuals. However, whether and how aging brains are affected by Omicron variants in terms of neuroinvasiveness and neurovirulence are unknown. Here, we utilize resected paracarcinoma brain tissue from elderly individuals to generate primary brain spheroids (BSs) for investigating the replication capability of live wild-type (WT) strain and Omicron (BA.1/BA.2), as well as the mechanisms underlying their neurobiological effects. We find that both WT and Omicron BA.1/BA.2 are able to enter BSs but weakly replicate. There is no difference between Omicron BA.1/BA.2 and WT strains in neurotropism in aging BSs. However, Omicron BA.1/BA.2 exhibits ameliorating neurological damage. Transcriptional profiling indicates that Omicron BA.1/BA.2 induces a lower neuroinflammatory response than WT strain in elderly BSs, suggesting a mechanistic explanation for their attenuated neuropathogenicity. Moreover, we find that both Omicron BA.1/BA.2 and WT strain infections disrupt neural network activity associated with neurodegenerative disorders by causing neuron degeneration and amyloid-β deposition in elderly BSs. These results uncover Omicron-specific mechanisms and cellular immune responses associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2-induced neurological complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weikang Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery,
The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, China
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Xiaobing Jiang
- Department of Neurosurgery/Neuro-Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China,
Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (SYSUCC), Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Wei Liang
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Haojie Bai
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Mingze Xu
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Zhe Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Institution of Public Health, Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Lina Yi
- Guangdong Provincial Institution of Public Health, Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Yanming Liu
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Yanxia Huang
- Department of Neurosurgery,
The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Yongxin Zhang
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Lixia Xu
- Department of Oncology,
The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Baoshu Xie
- Department of Neurosurgery,
The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Nu Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery,
The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Jun Yu
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, China
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics and Institute of Digestive Disease, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease,
The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
| | - Jing Lu
- Guangdong Provincial Institution of Public Health, Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Haipeng Xiao
- Department of Endocrinology,
The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Xiaoxing Li
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, China
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6
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Osonoi S, Takebe T. Organoid-guided precision hepatology for metabolic liver disease. J Hepatol 2024; 80:805-821. [PMID: 38237864 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2024.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease affects millions of people worldwide. Progress towards a definitive cure has been incremental and treatment is currently limited to lifestyle modification. Hepatocyte-specific lipid accumulation is the main trigger of lipotoxic events, driving inflammation and fibrosis. The underlying pathology is extraordinarily heterogenous, and the manifestations of steatohepatitis are markedly influenced by metabolic communications across non-hepatic organs. Synthetic human tissue models have emerged as powerful platforms to better capture the mechanistic diversity in disease progression, while preserving person-specific genetic traits. In this review, we will outline current research efforts focused on integrating multiple synthetic tissue models of key metabolic organs, with an emphasis on organoid-based systems. By combining functional genomics and population-scale en masse profiling methodologies, human tissues derived from patients can provide insights into personalised genetic, transcriptional, biochemical, and metabolic states. These collective efforts will advance our understanding of steatohepatitis and guide the development of rational solutions for mechanism-directed diagnostic and therapeutic investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sho Osonoi
- Center for Stem Cell and Organoid Medicine (CuSTOM), Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki, 036-8562, Japan
| | - Takanori Takebe
- Center for Stem Cell and Organoid Medicine (CuSTOM), Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; WPI Premium Institute for Human Metaverse Medicine (WPI-PRIMe) and Department of Genome Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan; Institute of Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo 113-8510, Japan; Communication Design Center, Advanced Medical Research Center, Yokohama City University, Yokohama 236-0004, Japan.
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7
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Lindenhofer D, Haendeler S, Esk C, Littleboy JB, Brunet Avalos C, Naas J, Pflug FG, van de Ven EGP, Reumann D, Baffet AD, von Haeseler A, Knoblich JA. Cerebral organoids display dynamic clonal growth and tunable tissue replenishment. Nat Cell Biol 2024; 26:710-718. [PMID: 38714853 PMCID: PMC11098754 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-024-01412-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
During brain development, neural progenitors expand through symmetric divisions before giving rise to differentiating cell types via asymmetric divisions. Transition between those modes varies among individual neural stem cells, resulting in clones of different sizes. Imaging-based lineage tracing allows for lineage analysis at high cellular resolution but systematic approaches to analyse clonal behaviour of entire tissues are currently lacking. Here we implement whole-tissue lineage tracing by genomic DNA barcoding in 3D human cerebral organoids, to show that individual stem cell clones produce progeny on a vastly variable scale. By using stochastic modelling we find that variable lineage sizes arise because a subpopulation of lineages retains symmetrically dividing cells. We show that lineage sizes can adjust to tissue demands after growth perturbation via chemical ablation or genetic restriction of a subset of cells in chimeric organoids. Our data suggest that adaptive plasticity of stem cell populations ensures robustness of development in human brain organoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Lindenhofer
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Science, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria
- Vienna Biocenter PhD Program, University of Vienna and the Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Genome Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Simon Haendeler
- Vienna Biocenter PhD Program, University of Vienna and the Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Center of Integrative Bioinformatics Vienna, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christopher Esk
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Science, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria.
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Jamie B Littleboy
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Science, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria
- Vienna Biocenter PhD Program, University of Vienna and the Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Julia Naas
- Vienna Biocenter PhD Program, University of Vienna and the Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Center of Integrative Bioinformatics Vienna, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Florian G Pflug
- Center of Integrative Bioinformatics Vienna, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria
- Biological Complexity Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Eline G P van de Ven
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Science, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniel Reumann
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Science, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alexandre D Baffet
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR144, Paris, France
- Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale, Paris, France
| | - Arndt von Haeseler
- Vienna Biocenter PhD Program, University of Vienna and the Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Faculty of Computer Science, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jürgen A Knoblich
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Science, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria.
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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8
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Żuchowska A, Baranowska P, Flont M, Brzózka Z, Jastrzębska E. Review: 3D cell models for organ-on-a-chip applications. Anal Chim Acta 2024; 1301:342413. [PMID: 38553129 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2024.342413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Two-dimensional (2D) cultures do not fully reflect the human organs' physiology and the real effectiveness of the used therapy. Therefore, three-dimensional (3D) models are increasingly used in bioanalytical science. Organ-on-a-chip systems are used to obtain cellular in vitro models, better reflecting the human body's in vivo characteristics and allowing us to obtain more reliable results than standard preclinical models. Such 3D models can be used to understand the behavior of tissues/organs in response to selected biophysical and biochemical factors, pathological conditions (the mechanisms of their formation), drug screening, or inter-organ interactions. This review characterizes 3D models obtained in microfluidic systems. These include spheroids/aggregates, hydrogel cultures, multilayers, organoids, or cultures on biomaterials. Next, the methods of formation of different 3D cultures in Organ-on-a-chip systems are presented, and examples of such Organ-on-a-chip systems are discussed. Finally, current applications of 3D cell-on-a-chip systems and future perspectives are covered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Żuchowska
- Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, Warsaw University of Technology, Noakowskiego 3, 00-664, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Patrycja Baranowska
- Center for Advanced Materials and Technologies CEZAMAT, Warsaw University of Technology, Poleczki 19, 02-822, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Magdalena Flont
- Center for Advanced Materials and Technologies CEZAMAT, Warsaw University of Technology, Poleczki 19, 02-822, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Zbigniew Brzózka
- Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, Warsaw University of Technology, Noakowskiego 3, 00-664, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Jastrzębska
- Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, Warsaw University of Technology, Noakowskiego 3, 00-664, Warsaw, Poland.
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9
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Pornsukjantra T, Saikachain N, Sutjarit N, Khongkrapan A, Tubsuwan A, Bhukhai K, Tim-Aroon T, Anurathapan U, Hongeng S, Asavapanumas N. An increase in ER stress and unfolded protein response in iPSCs-derived neuronal cells from neuronopathic Gaucher disease patients. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9177. [PMID: 38649404 PMCID: PMC11035702 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59834-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Gaucher disease (GD) is a lysosomal storage disorder caused by a mutation in the GBA1 gene, responsible for encoding the enzyme Glucocerebrosidase (GCase). Although neuronal death and neuroinflammation have been observed in the brains of individuals with neuronopathic Gaucher disease (nGD), the exact mechanism underlying neurodegeneration in nGD remains unclear. In this study, we used two induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)-derived neuronal cell lines acquired from two type-3 GD patients (GD3-1 and GD3-2) to investigate the mechanisms underlying nGD by biochemical analyses. These iPSCs-derived neuronal cells from GD3-1 and GD3-2 exhibit an impairment in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) calcium homeostasis and an increase in unfolded protein response markers (BiP and CHOP), indicating the presence of ER stress in nGD. A significant increase in the BAX/BCL-2 ratio and an increase in Annexin V-positive cells demonstrate a notable increase in apoptotic cell death in GD iPSCs-derived neurons, suggesting downstream signaling after an increase in the unfolded protein response. Our study involves the establishment of iPSCs-derived neuronal models for GD and proposes a possible mechanism underlying nGD. This mechanism involves the activation of ER stress and the unfolded protein response, ultimately leading to apoptotic cell death in neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanapat Pornsukjantra
- Program in Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Nongluk Saikachain
- Chakri Naruebodindra Medical Institute, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bang Pla, Bang Phli, Samut Prakan, 10540, Thailand
| | - Nareerat Sutjarit
- Graduate Program in Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Arthaporn Khongkrapan
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Alisa Tubsuwan
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, 73170, Thailand
| | - Kanit Bhukhai
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Thipwimol Tim-Aroon
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Usanarat Anurathapan
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Suradej Hongeng
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Nithi Asavapanumas
- Chakri Naruebodindra Medical Institute, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bang Pla, Bang Phli, Samut Prakan, 10540, Thailand.
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10
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Mencattini A, Daprati E, Della-Morte D, Guadagni F, Sangiuolo F, Martinelli E. Assembloid learning: opportunities and challenges for personalized approaches to brain functioning in health and disease. Front Artif Intell 2024; 7:1385871. [PMID: 38708094 PMCID: PMC11066156 DOI: 10.3389/frai.2024.1385871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Mencattini
- Department of Electronic Engineering, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
- Interdisciplinary Center of Advanced Study of Organ-on-Chip and Lab-on-Chip Applications (IC-LOC), University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Elena Daprati
- Department of System Medicine and Centro di Biomedicina Spaziale (CBMS), University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - David Della-Morte
- Interdisciplinary Center of Advanced Study of Organ-on-Chip and Lab-on-Chip Applications (IC-LOC), University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
- San Raffaele Rome University, Rome, Italy
| | - Fiorella Guadagni
- San Raffaele Rome University, Rome, Italy
- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) San Raffaele, Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Sangiuolo
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Eugenio Martinelli
- Department of Electronic Engineering, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
- Interdisciplinary Center of Advanced Study of Organ-on-Chip and Lab-on-Chip Applications (IC-LOC), University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
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11
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Petersilie L, Heiduschka S, Nelson JS, Neu LA, Le S, Anand R, Kafitz KW, Prigione A, Rose CR. Cortical brain organoid slices (cBOS) for the study of human neural cells in minimal networks. iScience 2024; 27:109415. [PMID: 38523789 PMCID: PMC10957451 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Brain organoids derived from human pluripotent stem cells are a promising tool for studying human neurodevelopment and related disorders. Here, we generated long-term cultures of cortical brain organoid slices (cBOS) grown at the air-liquid interphase from regionalized cortical organoids. We show that cBOS host mature neurons and astrocytes organized in complex architecture. Whole-cell patch-clamp demonstrated subthreshold synaptic inputs and action potential firing of neurons. Spontaneous intracellular calcium signals turned into synchronous large-scale oscillations upon combined disinhibition of NMDA receptors and blocking of GABAA receptors. Brief metabolic inhibition to mimic transient energy restriction in the ischemic brain induced reversible intracellular calcium loading of cBOS. Moreover, metabolic inhibition induced a reversible decline in neuronal ATP as revealed by ATeam1.03YEMK. Overall, cBOS provide a powerful platform to assess morphological and functional aspects of human neural cells in intact minimal networks and to address the pathways that drive cellular damage during brain ischemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Petersilie
- Institute of Neurobiology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Sonja Heiduschka
- Department of General Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, University Children’s Hospital and Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Joel S.E. Nelson
- Institute of Neurobiology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Louis A. Neu
- Institute of Neurobiology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Stephanie Le
- Department of General Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, University Children’s Hospital and Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Ruchika Anand
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Karl W. Kafitz
- Institute of Neurobiology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Alessandro Prigione
- Department of General Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, University Children’s Hospital and Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Christine R. Rose
- Institute of Neurobiology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
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12
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Donadoni M, Cakir S, Bellizzi A, Swingler M, Sariyer IK. Modeling HIV-1 infection and NeuroHIV in hiPSCs-derived cerebral organoid cultures. J Neurovirol 2024:10.1007/s13365-024-01204-z. [PMID: 38600307 DOI: 10.1007/s13365-024-01204-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic is an ongoing global health problem affecting 38 million people worldwide with nearly 1.6 million new infections every year. Despite the advent of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART), a large percentage of people with HIV (PWH) still develop neurological deficits, grouped into the term of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). Investigating the neuropathology of HIV is important for understanding mechanisms associated with cognitive impairment seen in PWH. The major obstacle for studying neuroHIV is the lack of suitable in vitro human culture models that could shed light into the HIV-CNS interactions. Recent advances in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) culture and 3D brain organoid systems have allowed the generation of 2D and 3D culture methods that possess a potential to serve as a model of neurotropic viral diseases, including HIV. In this study, we first generated and characterized several hiPSC lines from healthy human donor skin fibroblast cells. hiPSCs were then used for the generation of microglia-containing human cerebral organoids (hCOs). Once fully characterized, hCOs were infected with HIV-1 in the presence and absence of cART regimens and viral infection was studied by cellular, molecular/biochemical, and virological assays. Our results revealed that hCOs were productively infected with HIV-1 as evident by viral p24-ELISA in culture media, RT-qPCR and RNAscope analysis of viral RNA, as well as ddPCR analysis of proviral HIV-1 in genomic DNA samples. More interestingly, replication and gene expression of HIV-1 were also greatly suppressed by cART in hCOs as early as 7 days post-infections. Our results suggest that hCOs derived from hiPSCs support HIV-1 replication and gene expression and may serve as a unique platform to better understand neuropathology of HIV infection in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Donadoni
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Inflammation, Center for Neurovirology and Gene Editing, Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Senem Cakir
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Inflammation, Center for Neurovirology and Gene Editing, Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Anna Bellizzi
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Inflammation, Center for Neurovirology and Gene Editing, Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Michael Swingler
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Inflammation, Center for Neurovirology and Gene Editing, Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ilker K Sariyer
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Inflammation, Center for Neurovirology and Gene Editing, Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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13
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Radenkovic S, Budhraja R, Klein-Gunnewiek T, King AT, Bhatia TN, Ligezka AN, Driesen K, Shah R, Ghesquière B, Pandey A, Kasri NN, Sloan SA, Morava E, Kozicz T. Neural and metabolic dysregulation in PMM2-deficient human in vitro neural models. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113883. [PMID: 38430517 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Phosphomannomutase 2-congenital disorder of glycosylation (PMM2-CDG) is a rare inborn error of metabolism caused by deficiency of the PMM2 enzyme, which leads to impaired protein glycosylation. While the disorder presents with primarily neurological symptoms, there is limited knowledge about the specific brain-related changes caused by PMM2 deficiency. Here, we demonstrate aberrant neural activity in 2D neuronal networks from PMM2-CDG individuals. Utilizing multi-omics datasets from 3D human cortical organoids (hCOs) derived from PMM2-CDG individuals, we identify widespread decreases in protein glycosylation, highlighting impaired glycosylation as a key pathological feature of PMM2-CDG, as well as impaired mitochondrial structure and abnormal glucose metabolism in PMM2-deficient hCOs, indicating disturbances in energy metabolism. Correlation between PMM2 enzymatic activity in hCOs and symptom severity suggests that the level of PMM2 enzyme function directly influences neurological manifestations. These findings enhance our understanding of specific brain-related perturbations associated with PMM2-CDG, offering insights into the underlying mechanisms and potential directions for therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Radenkovic
- Department of Clinical Genomics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Rohit Budhraja
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Teun Klein-Gunnewiek
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Centre, 6525 XZ Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Alexia Tyler King
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Tarun N Bhatia
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Anna N Ligezka
- Department of Clinical Genomics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Karen Driesen
- Metabolomics Expertise Center, VIB-KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rameen Shah
- Department of Clinical Genomics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Bart Ghesquière
- Metabolomics Expertise Center, VIB-KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Laboratory of Applied Mass Spectrometry, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Akhilesh Pandey
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, Karnataka 576104, India
| | - Nael Nadif Kasri
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Centre, 6525 XZ Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Steven A Sloan
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Eva Morava
- Department of Clinical Genomics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; Department of Biophysics, University of Pécs Medical School, 7624 Pécs, Hungary; Department of Genetics and Genomics Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, NY 10029, USA
| | - Tamas Kozicz
- Department of Clinical Genomics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; Department of Anatomy, University of Pécs Medical School, 7624 Pécs, Hungary; Department of Genetics and Genomics Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, NY 10029, USA.
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14
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Ji Y, McLean JL, Xu R. Emerging Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Based Human-Animal Brain Chimeras for Advancing Disease Modeling and Cell Therapy for Neurological Disorders. Neurosci Bull 2024:10.1007/s12264-024-01189-z. [PMID: 38466557 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-024-01189-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) models provide unprecedented opportunities to study human neurological disorders by recapitulating human-specific disease mechanisms. In particular, hPSC-based human-animal brain chimeras enable the study of human cell pathophysiology in vivo. In chimeric brains, human neural and immune cells can maintain human-specific features, undergo maturation, and functionally integrate into host brains, allowing scientists to study how human cells impact neural circuits and animal behaviors. The emerging human-animal brain chimeras hold promise for modeling human brain cells and their interactions in health and disease, elucidating the disease mechanism from molecular and cellular to circuit and behavioral levels, and testing the efficacy of cell therapy interventions. Here, we discuss recent advances in the generation and applications of using human-animal chimeric brain models for the study of neurological disorders, including disease modeling and cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanru Ji
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Jenna Lillie McLean
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Ranjie Xu
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
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15
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Inavalli VVGK, Puente Muñoz V, Draffin JE, Tønnesen J. Fluorescence microscopy shadow imaging for neuroscience. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1330100. [PMID: 38425431 PMCID: PMC10902105 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1330100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Fluorescence microscopy remains one of the single most widely applied experimental approaches in neuroscience and beyond and is continuously evolving to make it easier and more versatile. The success of the approach is based on synergistic developments in imaging technologies and fluorophore labeling strategies that have allowed it to greatly diversify and be used across preparations for addressing structure as well as function. Yet, while targeted labeling strategies are a key strength of fluorescence microscopy, they reciprocally impose general limitations on the possible types of experiments and analyses. One recent development that overcomes some of these limitations is fluorescence microscopy shadow imaging, where membrane-bound cellular structures remain unlabeled while the surrounding extracellular space is made to fluoresce to provide a negative contrast shadow image. When based on super-resolution STED microscopy, the technique in effect provides a positive image of the extracellular space geometry and entire neuropil in the field of view. Other noteworthy advantages include the near elimination of the adverse effects of photobleaching and toxicity in live imaging, exhaustive and homogeneous labeling across the preparation, and the ability to apply and adjust the label intensity on the fly. Shadow imaging is gaining popularity and has been applied on its own or combined with conventional positive labeling to visualize cells and synaptic proteins in their parenchymal context. Here, we highlight the inherent limitations of fluorescence microscopy and conventional labeling and contrast these against the pros and cons of recent shadow imaging approaches. Our aim is to describe the brief history and current trajectory of the shadow imaging technique in the neuroscience field, and to draw attention to its ease of application and versatility.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Virginia Puente Muñoz
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
- Neuronal Excitability Lab, Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
| | - Jonathan E. Draffin
- Neuronal Excitability Lab, Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP), Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, United States
| | - Jan Tønnesen
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
- Neuronal Excitability Lab, Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP), Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, United States
- Instituto Biofisika (CSIC/UPV), Leioa, Spain
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16
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Qu S, Xu R, Yi G, Li Z, Zhang H, Qi S, Huang G. Patient-derived organoids in human cancer: a platform for fundamental research and precision medicine. MOLECULAR BIOMEDICINE 2024; 5:6. [PMID: 38342791 PMCID: PMC10859360 DOI: 10.1186/s43556-023-00165-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer is associated with a high degree of heterogeneity, encompassing both inter- and intra-tumor heterogeneity, along with considerable variability in clinical response to common treatments across patients. Conventional models for tumor research, such as in vitro cell cultures and in vivo animal models, demonstrate significant limitations that fall short of satisfying the research requisites. Patient-derived tumor organoids, which recapitulate the structures, specific functions, molecular characteristics, genomics alterations and expression profiles of primary tumors. They have been efficaciously implemented in illness portrayal, mechanism exploration, high-throughput drug screening and assessment, discovery of innovative therapeutic targets and potential compounds, and customized treatment regimen for cancer patients. In contrast to conventional models, tumor organoids offer an intuitive, dependable, and efficient in vitro research model by conserving the phenotypic, genetic diversity, and mutational attributes of the originating tumor. Nevertheless, the organoid technology also confronts the bottlenecks and challenges, such as how to comprehensively reflect intra-tumor heterogeneity, tumor microenvironment, tumor angiogenesis, reduce research costs, and establish standardized construction processes while retaining reliability. This review extensively examines the use of tumor organoid techniques in fundamental research and precision medicine. It emphasizes the importance of patient-derived tumor organoid biobanks for drug development, screening, safety evaluation, and personalized medicine. Additionally, it evaluates the application of organoid technology as an experimental tumor model to better understand the molecular mechanisms of tumor. The intent of this review is to explicate the significance of tumor organoids in cancer research and to present new avenues for the future of tumor research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanqiang Qu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou Dadao Bei Street 1838, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
- The Laboratory for Precision Neurosurgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
- Nanfang Glioma Center, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
- Institute of Brain disease, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou Dadao Bei Street 1838, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
| | - Rongyang Xu
- The Laboratory for Precision Neurosurgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
- The First Clinical Medical College of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
| | - Guozhong Yi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou Dadao Bei Street 1838, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
- Nanfang Glioma Center, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
- Institute of Brain disease, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou Dadao Bei Street 1838, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhiyong Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou Dadao Bei Street 1838, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
- Nanfang Glioma Center, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
- Institute of Brain disease, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou Dadao Bei Street 1838, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
| | - Huayang Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou Dadao Bei Street 1838, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
- The Laboratory for Precision Neurosurgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
| | - Songtao Qi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou Dadao Bei Street 1838, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China.
- The Laboratory for Precision Neurosurgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China.
- Nanfang Glioma Center, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China.
- Institute of Brain disease, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou Dadao Bei Street 1838, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China.
| | - Guanglong Huang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou Dadao Bei Street 1838, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China.
- The Laboratory for Precision Neurosurgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China.
- Nanfang Glioma Center, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China.
- Institute of Brain disease, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou Dadao Bei Street 1838, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China.
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17
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Rizzuti M, Melzi V, Brambilla L, Quetti L, Sali L, Ottoboni L, Meneri M, Ratti A, Verde F, Ticozzi N, Comi GP, Corti S, Abati E. Shaping the Neurovascular Unit Exploiting Human Brain Organoids. Mol Neurobiol 2024:10.1007/s12035-024-03998-9. [PMID: 38334812 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-024-03998-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Brain organoids, three-dimensional cell structures derived from pluripotent stem cells, closely mimic key aspects of the human brain in vitro, providing a powerful tool for studying neurodevelopment and disease. The neuroectodermal induction protocol employed for brain organoid generation primarily gives rise to the neural cellular component but lacks the vital vascular system, which is crucial for the brain functions by regulating differentiation, migration, and circuit formation, as well as delivering oxygen and nutrients. Many neurological diseases are caused by dysfunctions of cerebral microcirculation, making vascularization of human brain organoids an important tool for pathogenetic and translational research. Experimentally, the creation of vascularized brain organoids has primarily focused on the fusion of vascular and brain organoids, on organoid transplantation in vivo, and on the use of microfluidic devices to replicate the intricate microenvironment of the human brain in vitro. This review summarizes these efforts and highlights the importance of studying the neurovascular unit in a forward-looking perspective of leveraging their use for understanding and treating neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mafalda Rizzuti
- Neurology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Melzi
- Neurology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Brambilla
- Neurology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Quetti
- Neurology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Sali
- Neurology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Linda Ottoboni
- Dino Ferrari Centre, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation (DEPT), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Megi Meneri
- Dino Ferrari Centre, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation (DEPT), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonia Ratti
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
- Department Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Federico Verde
- Dino Ferrari Centre, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation (DEPT), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | - Nicola Ticozzi
- Dino Ferrari Centre, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation (DEPT), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | - Giacomo Pietro Comi
- Neurology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
- Dino Ferrari Centre, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation (DEPT), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefania Corti
- Dino Ferrari Centre, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation (DEPT), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Neuromuscular and Rare Diseases Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Abati
- Dino Ferrari Centre, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation (DEPT), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
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18
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Hendriks D, Pagliaro A, Andreatta F, Ma Z, van Giessen J, Massalini S, López-Iglesias C, van Son GJF, DeMartino J, Damen JMA, Zoutendijk I, Staliarova N, Bredenoord AL, Holstege FCP, Peters PJ, Margaritis T, Chuva de Sousa Lopes S, Wu W, Clevers H, Artegiani B. Human fetal brain self-organizes into long-term expanding organoids. Cell 2024; 187:712-732.e38. [PMID: 38194967 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Human brain development involves an orchestrated, massive neural progenitor expansion while a multi-cellular tissue architecture is established. Continuously expanding organoids can be grown directly from multiple somatic tissues, yet to date, brain organoids can solely be established from pluripotent stem cells. Here, we show that healthy human fetal brain in vitro self-organizes into organoids (FeBOs), phenocopying aspects of in vivo cellular heterogeneity and complex organization. FeBOs can be expanded over long time periods. FeBO growth requires maintenance of tissue integrity, which ensures production of a tissue-like extracellular matrix (ECM) niche, ultimately endowing FeBO expansion. FeBO lines derived from different areas of the central nervous system (CNS), including dorsal and ventral forebrain, preserve their regional identity and allow to probe aspects of positional identity. Using CRISPR-Cas9, we showcase the generation of syngeneic mutant FeBO lines for the study of brain cancer. Taken together, FeBOs constitute a complementary CNS organoid platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delilah Hendriks
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Utrecht, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Anna Pagliaro
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | | | - Ziliang Ma
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A(∗)STAR), Immunos, Singapore 138648, Singapore; Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Joey van Giessen
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Simone Massalini
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Carmen López-Iglesias
- The Maastricht Multimodal Molecular Imaging Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Gijs J F van Son
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Jeff DeMartino
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - J Mirjam A Damen
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Iris Zoutendijk
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Nadzeya Staliarova
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Annelien L Bredenoord
- Erasmus School of Philosophy, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Frank C P Holstege
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht and Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Peter J Peters
- The Maastricht Multimodal Molecular Imaging Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Wei Wu
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A(∗)STAR), Immunos, Singapore 138648, Singapore; Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Hans Clevers
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Utrecht, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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19
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Furnari FB, Anastasaki C, Bian S, Fine HA, Koga T, Le LQ, Rodriguez FJ, Gutmann DH. Stem cell modeling of nervous system tumors. Dis Model Mech 2024; 17:dmm050533. [PMID: 38353122 PMCID: PMC10886724 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.050533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Nervous system tumors, particularly brain tumors, represent the most common tumors in children and one of the most lethal tumors in adults. Despite decades of research, there are few effective therapies for these cancers. Although human nervous system tumor cells and genetically engineered mouse models have served as excellent platforms for drug discovery and preclinical testing, they have limitations with respect to accurately recapitulating important aspects of the pathobiology of spontaneously arising human tumors. For this reason, attention has turned to the deployment of human stem cell engineering involving human embryonic or induced pluripotent stem cells, in which genetic alterations associated with nervous system cancers can be introduced. These stem cells can be used to create self-assembling three-dimensional cerebral organoids that preserve key features of the developing human brain. Moreover, stem cell-engineered lines are amenable to xenotransplantation into mice as a platform to investigate the tumor cell of origin, discover cancer evolutionary trajectories and identify therapeutic vulnerabilities. In this article, we review the current state of human stem cell models of nervous system tumors, discuss their advantages and disadvantages, and provide consensus recommendations for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank B Furnari
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA 92037, USA
| | - Corina Anastasaki
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Shan Bian
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, 200070 Shanghai, China
| | - Howard A Fine
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Tomoyuki Koga
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Lu Q Le
- Department of Dermatology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Fausto J Rodriguez
- Division of Neuropathology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - David H Gutmann
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
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20
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Smirnova L, Hartung T. The Promise and Potential of Brain Organoids. Adv Healthc Mater 2024:e2302745. [PMID: 38252094 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202302745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Brain organoids are 3D in vitro culture systems derived from human pluripotent stem cells that self-organize to model features of the (developing) human brain. This review examines the techniques behind organoid generation, their current and potential applications, and future directions for the field. Brain organoids possess complex architecture containing various neural cell types, synapses, and myelination. They have been utilized for toxicology testing, disease modeling, infection studies, personalized medicine, and gene-environment interaction studies. An emerging concept termed Organoid Intelligence (OI) combines organoids with artificial intelligence systems to generate learning and memory, with the goals of modeling cognition and enabling biological computing applications. Brain organoids allow neuroscience studies not previously achievable with traditional techniques, and have the potential to transform disease modeling, drug development, and the understanding of human brain development and disorders. The aspirational vision of OI parallels the origins of artificial intelligence, and efforts are underway to map a roadmap toward its realization. In summary, brain organoids constitute a disruptive technology that is rapidly advancing and gaining traction across multiple disciplines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Smirnova
- Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT), Bloomberg School of Public Health and Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Thomas Hartung
- Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT), Bloomberg School of Public Health and Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- CAAT-Europe, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstr. 10, 78464, Konstanz, BW, Germany
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21
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Noort RJ, Zhu H, Flemmer RT, Moore CS, Belbin TJ, Esseltine JL. Apically localized PANX1 impacts neuroepithelial expansion in human cerebral organoids. Cell Death Discov 2024; 10:22. [PMID: 38212304 PMCID: PMC10784521 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-023-01774-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Dysfunctional paracrine signaling through Pannexin 1 (PANX1) channels is linked to several adult neurological pathologies and emerging evidence suggests that PANX1 plays an important role in human brain development. It remains unclear how early PANX1 influences brain development, or how loss of PANX1 alters the developing human brain. Using a cerebral organoid model of early human brain development, we find that PANX1 is expressed at all stages of organoid development from neural induction through to neuroepithelial expansion and maturation. Interestingly, PANX1 cellular distribution and subcellular localization changes dramatically throughout cerebral organoid development. During neural induction, PANX1 becomes concentrated at the apical membrane domain of neural rosettes where it co-localizes with several apical membrane adhesion molecules. During neuroepithelial expansion, PANX1-/- organoids are significantly smaller than control and exhibit significant gene expression changes related to cell adhesion, WNT signaling and non-coding RNAs. As cerebral organoids mature, PANX1 expression is significantly upregulated and is primarily localized to neuronal populations outside of the ventricular-like zones. Ultimately, PANX1 protein can be detected in all layers of a 21-22 post conception week human fetal cerebral cortex. Together, these results show that PANX1 is dynamically expressed by numerous cell types throughout embryonic and early fetal stages of human corticogenesis and loss of PANX1 compromises neuroepithelial expansion due to dysregulation of cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesion, perturbed intracellular signaling, and changes to gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca J Noort
- Division of BioMedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, A1B 3V6, NL, Canada
| | - Hanrui Zhu
- Division of BioMedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, A1B 3V6, NL, Canada
| | - Robert T Flemmer
- Division of BioMedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, A1B 3V6, NL, Canada
| | - Craig S Moore
- Division of BioMedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, A1B 3V6, NL, Canada
| | - Thomas J Belbin
- Division of BioMedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, A1B 3V6, NL, Canada
- Discipline of Oncology, Faculty of sp. Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, A1B 3V6, NL, Canada
| | - Jessica L Esseltine
- Division of BioMedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, A1B 3V6, NL, Canada.
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22
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Saglam-Metiner P, Yildirim E, Dincer C, Basak O, Yesil-Celiktas O. Humanized brain organoids-on-chip integrated with sensors for screening neuronal activity and neurotoxicity. Mikrochim Acta 2024; 191:71. [PMID: 38168828 DOI: 10.1007/s00604-023-06165-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
The complex structure and function of the human central nervous system that develops from the neural tube made in vitro modeling quite challenging until the discovery of brain organoids. Human-induced pluripotent stem cells-derived brain organoids offer recapitulation of the features of early human neurodevelopment in vitro, including the generation, proliferation, and differentiation into mature neurons and micro-macroglial cells, as well as the complex interactions among these diverse cell types of the developing brain. Recent advancements in brain organoids, microfluidic systems, real-time sensing technologies, and their cutting-edge integrated use provide excellent models and tools for emulation of fundamental neurodevelopmental processes, the pathology of neurological disorders, personalized transplantation therapy, and high-throughput neurotoxicity testing by bridging the gap between two-dimensional models and the complex three-dimensional environment in vivo. In this review, we summarize how bioengineering approaches are applied to mitigate the limitations of brain organoids for biomedical and clinical research. We further provide an extensive overview and future perspectives of the humanized brain organoids-on-chip platforms with integrated sensors toward brain organoid intelligence and biocomputing studies. Such approaches might pave the way for increasing approvable clinical applications by solving their current limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pelin Saglam-Metiner
- Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Division of Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ender Yildirim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
- ODTÜ MEMS Center, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Can Dincer
- Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- FIT Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Onur Basak
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Division of Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ozlem Yesil-Celiktas
- Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey.
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23
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Abstract
Brain development in humans is achieved through precise spatiotemporal genetic control, the mechanisms of which remain largely elusive. Recently, integration of technological advances in human stem cell-based modelling with genome editing has emerged as a powerful platform to establish causative links between genotypes and phenotypes directly in the human system. Here, we review our current knowledge of complex genetic regulation of each key step of human brain development through the lens of evolutionary specialization and neurodevelopmental disorders and highlight the use of human stem cell-derived 2D cultures and 3D brain organoids to investigate human-enriched features and disease mechanisms. We also discuss opportunities and challenges of integrating new technologies to reveal the genetic architecture of human brain development and disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhou
- Department of Neuroscience and Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hongjun Song
- Department of Neuroscience and Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- The Epigenetics Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Guo-Li Ming
- Department of Neuroscience and Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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24
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Georgiev DD. Evolution of Consciousness. Life (Basel) 2023; 14:48. [PMID: 38255663 PMCID: PMC10817314 DOI: 10.3390/life14010048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The natural evolution of consciousness in different animal species mandates that conscious experiences are causally potent in order to confer any advantage in the struggle for survival. Any endeavor to construct a physical theory of consciousness based on emergence within the framework of classical physics, however, leads to causally impotent conscious experiences in direct contradiction to evolutionary theory since epiphenomenal consciousness cannot evolve through natural selection. Here, we review recent theoretical advances in describing sentience and free will as fundamental aspects of reality granted by quantum physical laws. Modern quantum information theory considers quantum states as a physical resource that endows quantum systems with the capacity to perform physical tasks that are classically impossible. Reductive identification of conscious experiences with the quantum information comprised in quantum brain states allows for causally potent consciousness that is capable of performing genuine choices for future courses of physical action. The consequent evolution of brain cortical networks contributes to increased computational power, memory capacity, and cognitive intelligence of the living organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danko D Georgiev
- Institute for Advanced Study, 30 Vasilaki Papadopulu Str., 9010 Varna, Bulgaria
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25
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Guido G, Mangano K, Tancheva L, Kalfin R, Leone GM, Saraceno A, Fagone P, Nicoletti F, Petralia MC. Evaluation of Cell-Specific Alterations in Alzheimer's Disease and Relevance of In Vitro Models. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:2187. [PMID: 38137009 PMCID: PMC10743149 DOI: 10.3390/genes14122187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder classically characterized by two neuropathological hallmarks: β-amyloid plaques and tau tangles in the brain. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in AD are still elusive, which dampens the possibility of finding new and more effective therapeutic interventions. Current in vitro models are limited in modelling the complexity of AD pathogenesis. In this study, we aimed to characterize the AD expression signature upon a meta-analysis of multiple human datasets, including different cell populations from various brain regions, and compare cell-specific alterations in AD patients and in vitro models to highlight the appropriateness and the limitations of the currently available models in recapitulating AD pathology. The meta-analysis showed consistent enrichment of the Rho GTPases signaling pathway among different cell populations and in the models. The accuracy of in vitro models was higher for neurons and lowest for astrocytes. Our study underscores the particularly low fidelity in modelling down-regulated genes across all cell populations. The top enriched pathways arising from meta-analysis of human data differ from the enriched pathways arising from the overlap. We hope that our data will prove useful in indicating a starting point in the development of future, more complex, 3D in vitro models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Guido
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (G.G.); (K.M.); (G.M.L.); (A.S.)
| | - Katia Mangano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (G.G.); (K.M.); (G.M.L.); (A.S.)
| | - Lyubka Tancheva
- Department of Biological Effects of Natural and Synthetic Substances, Institute of Neurobiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. Georgi Bonchev Str. Block 23, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria; (L.T.); (R.K.)
| | - Reni Kalfin
- Department of Biological Effects of Natural and Synthetic Substances, Institute of Neurobiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. Georgi Bonchev Str. Block 23, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria; (L.T.); (R.K.)
- Department of Healthcare, South-West University “Neofit Rilski”, Ivan Mihailov Str. 66, 2700 Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
| | - Gian Marco Leone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (G.G.); (K.M.); (G.M.L.); (A.S.)
| | - Andrea Saraceno
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (G.G.); (K.M.); (G.M.L.); (A.S.)
| | - Paolo Fagone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (G.G.); (K.M.); (G.M.L.); (A.S.)
| | - Ferdinando Nicoletti
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89, 95123 Catania, Italy; (G.G.); (K.M.); (G.M.L.); (A.S.)
| | - Maria Cristina Petralia
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy
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26
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Luo B, Liu K, Fan J. Bibliometric analysis of cerebral organoids and diseases in the last 10 years. IBRAIN 2023; 9:431-445. [PMID: 38680505 PMCID: PMC11045186 DOI: 10.1002/ibra.12139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Cerebral organoids have emerged as a powerful tool for mirroring the brain developmental processes and replicating its unique physiology. This bibliometric analysis aims to delineate the burgeoning trends in the application of cerebral organoids in disease research and offer insights for future investigations. We screened all relevant literature from the Web of Science on cerebral organoids in disease research during the period 2013-2022 and analyzed the research trends in the field using VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and Scimago Graphica software. According to the search strategy, 592 articles were screened out. The United States of America (USA) was the most productive, followed by China and Germany. The top nine institutions in terms of the number of publications include Canada and the United States, with the University of California, San Diego (USA), having the highest number of publications. The International Journal of Molecular Sciences was the most productive journal. Knoblich, Juergen A., and Lancaster, Madeline A. published the highest number of articles. Keyword cluster analysis showed that current research trends focused more on induced pluripotent stem cells to construct organoid models of cerebral diseases and the exploration of their mechanisms and therapeutic modalities. This study provides a comprehensive summary and analysis of global research trends in the field of cerebral organoids in diseases. In the past decade, the number of high-quality papers in this field has increased significantly, and cerebral organoids provide hope for simulating nervous system diseases (such as Alzheimer's disease).
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo‐Yan Luo
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic ChemistryChinese Academy of ScienceShanghaiChina
| | - Ke‐Qian Liu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic ChemistryChinese Academy of ScienceShanghaiChina
| | - Ji‐Sheng Fan
- ScienceComputer and Engineering of University of South AustraliaAdelaideSouth AustraliaAustralia
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27
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Pagliaro A, Finger R, Zoutendijk I, Bunschuh S, Clevers H, Hendriks D, Artegiani B. Temporal morphogen gradient-driven neural induction shapes single expanded neuroepithelium brain organoids with enhanced cortical identity. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7361. [PMID: 38016960 PMCID: PMC10684874 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43141-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Pluripotent stem cell (PSC)-derived human brain organoids enable the study of human brain development in vitro. Typically, the fate of PSCs is guided into subsequent specification steps through static medium switches. In vivo, morphogen gradients are critical for proper brain development and determine cell specification, and associated defects result in neurodevelopmental disorders. Here, we show that initiating neural induction in a temporal stepwise gradient guides the generation of brain organoids composed of a single, self-organized apical-out neuroepithelium, termed ENOs (expanded neuroepithelium organoids). This is at odds with standard brain organoid protocols in which multiple and independent neuroepithelium units (rosettes) are formed. We find that a prolonged, decreasing gradient of TGF-β signaling is a determining factor in ENO formation and allows for an extended phase of neuroepithelium expansion. In-depth characterization reveals that ENOs display improved cellular morphology and tissue architectural features that resemble in vivo human brain development, including expanded germinal zones. Consequently, cortical specification is enhanced in ENOs. ENOs constitute a platform to study the early events of human cortical development and allow interrogation of the complex relationship between tissue architecture and cellular states in shaping the developing human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Pagliaro
- The Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Roxy Finger
- The Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Iris Zoutendijk
- The Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Saskia Bunschuh
- The Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Hans Clevers
- The Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Pharma, Research and Early Development (pRED) of F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Delilah Hendriks
- The Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
- Oncode Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Benedetta Artegiani
- The Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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28
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Bulut S, Günther D, Bund M, Haats C, Bissing T, Bastard C, Wessling M, De Laporte L, Pich A. Cellular Architects at Work: Cells Building their Own Microgel Houses. Adv Healthc Mater 2023:e2302957. [PMID: 37988182 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202302957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Microporous annealed particle (MAP) scaffolds are investigated for their application as injectable 3D constructs in the field of regenerative medicine and tissue repair. While available MAP scaffolds provide a stable interlinked matrix of microgels for cell culture, the infiltration depth and space for cells to grow inside the scaffolds is pre-determined by the void fraction during the assembly. In the case of MAP scaffolds fabricated from interlinked spherical microgels, a cellularity gradient can be observed with the highest cell density on the scaffold surface. Additionally, the interlinked microgel network limits the ability of cells to remodel their environment, which contradicts native tissue dynamics. In this work, a cell-induced interlinking method for MAP scaffold formation is established, which avoids the necessity of chemical crosslinkers and pre-engineered pores to achieve micro- or macropores in these 3D frameworks. This method enables cells to self-organize with microgels into dynamic tissue constructs, which can be further controlled by altering the microgel properties, the cell/microgel ratio, and well shape. To form a cell-induced interlinked scaffold, the cells are mixed with dextran-based microgels and function as a glue between the microgels, resulting in a more homogenous cell distribution throughout the scaffold with efficient cell-cell interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selin Bulut
- DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials e. V, RWTH Aachen University, Forckenbeckstraße 50, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Functional and Interactive Polymers, Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry (ITMC), RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Daniel Günther
- DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials e. V, RWTH Aachen University, Forckenbeckstraße 50, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Advanced Materials for Biomedicine (AMB), Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry (ITMC), RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Advanced Materials for Biomedicine (AMB), Institute of Applied Medical Engineering (AME), University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Center for Biohybrid Medical Systems (CBMS), Forckenbeckstraße 55, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Michelle Bund
- DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials e. V, RWTH Aachen University, Forckenbeckstraße 50, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Functional and Interactive Polymers, Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry (ITMC), RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Christina Haats
- DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials e. V, RWTH Aachen University, Forckenbeckstraße 50, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Advanced Materials for Biomedicine (AMB), Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry (ITMC), RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Thomas Bissing
- DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials e. V, RWTH Aachen University, Forckenbeckstraße 50, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Functional and Interactive Polymers, Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry (ITMC), RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Céline Bastard
- DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials e. V, RWTH Aachen University, Forckenbeckstraße 50, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Advanced Materials for Biomedicine (AMB), Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry (ITMC), RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Advanced Materials for Biomedicine (AMB), Institute of Applied Medical Engineering (AME), University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Center for Biohybrid Medical Systems (CBMS), Forckenbeckstraße 55, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Matthias Wessling
- DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials e. V, RWTH Aachen University, Forckenbeckstraße 50, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Department of Chemical Process Engineering (AVT.CVT), RWTH Aachen University, Forckenbeckstraße 51, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Laura De Laporte
- DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials e. V, RWTH Aachen University, Forckenbeckstraße 50, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Advanced Materials for Biomedicine (AMB), Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry (ITMC), RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Advanced Materials for Biomedicine (AMB), Institute of Applied Medical Engineering (AME), University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Center for Biohybrid Medical Systems (CBMS), Forckenbeckstraße 55, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Andrij Pich
- DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials e. V, RWTH Aachen University, Forckenbeckstraße 50, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Functional and Interactive Polymers, Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry (ITMC), RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Aachen Maastricht Institute for Biobased Materials (AMIBM), Maastricht University, Brightlands Chemelot Campus, Urmonderbaan 22, Geleen, 6167 RD, Netherlands
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29
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Martins‐Costa C, Pham VA, Sidhaye J, Novatchkova M, Wiegers A, Peer A, Möseneder P, Corsini NS, Knoblich JA. Morphogenesis and development of human telencephalic organoids in the absence and presence of exogenous extracellular matrix. EMBO J 2023; 42:e113213. [PMID: 37842725 PMCID: PMC10646563 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2022113213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The establishment and maintenance of apical-basal polarity is a fundamental step in brain development, instructing the organization of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) and the developing cerebral cortex. Particularly, basally located extracellular matrix (ECM) is crucial for this process. In vitro, epithelial polarization can be achieved via endogenous ECM production, or exogenous ECM supplementation. While neuroepithelial development is recapitulated in neural organoids, the effects of different ECM sources in tissue morphogenesis remain underexplored. Here, we show that exposure to a solubilized basement membrane matrix substrate, Matrigel, at early neuroepithelial stages causes rapid tissue polarization and rearrangement of neuroepithelial architecture. In cultures exposed to pure ECM components or unexposed to any exogenous ECM, polarity acquisition is slower and driven by endogenous ECM production. After the onset of neurogenesis, tissue architecture and neuronal differentiation are largely independent of the initial ECM source, but Matrigel exposure has long-lasting effects on tissue patterning. These results advance the knowledge on mechanisms of exogenously and endogenously guided morphogenesis, demonstrating the self-sustainability of neuroepithelial cultures by endogenous processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catarina Martins‐Costa
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenterViennaAustria
- Vienna BioCenter PhD ProgramDoctoral School of the University of Vienna and Medical University of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Vincent A Pham
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenterViennaAustria
| | - Jaydeep Sidhaye
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenterViennaAustria
| | - Maria Novatchkova
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenterViennaAustria
| | - Andrea Wiegers
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenterViennaAustria
| | - Angela Peer
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenterViennaAustria
| | - Paul Möseneder
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenterViennaAustria
| | - Nina S Corsini
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenterViennaAustria
| | - Jürgen A Knoblich
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenterViennaAustria
- Department of NeurologyMedical University of ViennaViennaAustria
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Uzun YS, Santos R, Marchetto MC, Padmanabhan K. Network size affects the complexity of activity in human iPSC-derived neuronal populations. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.31.564939. [PMID: 37961249 PMCID: PMC10635014 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.31.564939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Multi-electrode recording of neural activity in cultures offer opportunities for understanding how the structure of a network gives rise to function. Although it is hypothesized that network size is critical for determining the dynamics of activity, this relationship in human neural cultures remains largely unexplored. By applying new methods for analyzing neural activity to human iPSC derived cultures at either low-densities or high-densities, we uncovered the significant impacts that neuron number has on the individual neurophysiological properties of cells (such as firing rates), the collective behavior of the networks these cultures formed (as measured by entropy), and the relationship between the two. As a result, simply changing the densities of neurons generated dynamics and network behavior that differed not just in degree, but in kind. Beyond revealing the relationship between network structure and function, our findings provide a novel analytical framework to study diseases where network level activity is affected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yavuz Selim Uzun
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester
- Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine
| | - Renata Santos
- Université Paris Cité, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris (IPNP), INSERM U1266, Signaling mechanisms in neurological disorders, 102 rue de la Santé, 75014 Paris, France
- Institut Imagine, INSERM U1163, Mechanisms and therapy of genetic brain diseases, Université Paris Cité, 24 Boulevard du Montparnasse, 75015 Paris, France
- Institut des Sciences Biologiques, CNRS, 16 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | | | - Krishnan Padmanabhan
- Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry
- Center for Visual Science, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry
- Intellectual Development and Disability Research Center, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry
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31
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Cavaleiro C, Afonso GJM, Oliveira PJ, Valero J, Mota SI, Ferreiro E. Urine-derived stem cells in neurological diseases: current state-of-the-art and future directions. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1229728. [PMID: 37965041 PMCID: PMC10642248 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1229728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Stem cells have potential applications in the field of neurological diseases, as they allow for the development of new biological models. These models can improve our understanding of the underlying pathologies and facilitate the screening of new therapeutics in the context of precision medicine. Stem cells have also been applied in clinical tests to repair tissues and improve functional recovery. Nevertheless, although promising, commonly used stem cells display some limitations that curb the scope of their applications, such as the difficulty of obtention. In that regard, urine-derived cells can be reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). However, their obtaining can be challenging due to the low yield and complexity of the multi-phased and typically expensive differentiation protocols. As an alternative, urine-derived stem cells (UDSCs), included within the population of urine-derived cells, present a mesenchymal-like phenotype and have shown promising properties for similar purposes. Importantly, UDSCs have been differentiated into neuronal-like cells, auspicious for disease modeling, while overcoming some of the shortcomings presented by other stem cells for these purposes. Thus, this review assesses the current state and future perspectives regarding the potential of UDSCs in the ambit of neurological diseases, both for disease modeling and therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Cavaleiro
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Doctoral Programme in Experimental Biology and Biomedicine (PDBEB), Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Gonçalo J. M. Afonso
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Doctoral Programme in Experimental Biology and Biomedicine (PDBEB), Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Paulo J. Oliveira
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Jorge Valero
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Castilla y León, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Department of Cell Biology and Pathology, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Sandra I. Mota
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Elisabete Ferreiro
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
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32
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Camões dos Santos J, Appleton C, Cazaux Mateus F, Covas R, Bekman EP, da Rocha ST. Stem cell models of Angelman syndrome. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1274040. [PMID: 37928900 PMCID: PMC10620611 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1274040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Angelman syndrome (AS) is an imprinted neurodevelopmental disorder that lacks a cure, characterized by developmental delay, intellectual impairment, seizures, ataxia, and paroxysmal laughter. The condition arises due to the loss of the maternally inherited copy of the UBE3A gene in neurons. The paternally inherited UBE3A allele is unable to compensate because it is silenced by the expression of an antisense transcript (UBE3A-ATS) on the paternal chromosome. UBE3A, encoding enigmatic E3 ubiquitin ligase variants, regulates target proteins by either modifying their properties/functions or leading them to degradation through the proteasome. Over time, animal models, particularly the Ube3a mat-/pat+ Knock-Out (KO) mice, have significantly contributed to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying AS. However, a shift toward human pluripotent stem cell models (PSCs), such as human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), has gained momentum. These stem cell models accurately capture human genetic and cellular characteristics, offering an alternative or a complement to animal experimentation. Human stem cells possess the remarkable ability to recapitulate neurogenesis and generate "brain-in-a-dish" models, making them valuable tools for studying neurodevelopmental disorders like AS. In this review, we provide an overview of the current state-of-the-art human stem cell models of AS and explore their potential to become the preclinical models of choice for drug screening and development, thus propelling AS therapeutic advancements and improving the lives of affected individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Camões dos Santos
- iBB—Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory i4HB Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Carolina Appleton
- iBB—Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory i4HB Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Department of Animal Biology, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Francisca Cazaux Mateus
- iBB—Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory i4HB Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Rita Covas
- iBB—Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory i4HB Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Evguenia Pavlovna Bekman
- iBB—Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory i4HB Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- The Egas Moniz Center for Interdisciplinary Research (CiiEM), Caparica, Portugal
| | - Simão Teixeira da Rocha
- iBB—Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory i4HB Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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Werner JM, Gillis J. Preservation of co-expression defines the primary tissue fidelity of human neural organoids. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.31.535112. [PMID: 37034757 PMCID: PMC10081321 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.31.535112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Human neural organoid models offer an exciting opportunity for studying often inaccessible human-specific brain development; however, it remains unclear how precisely organoids recapitulate fetal/primary tissue biology. Here, we characterize field-wide replicability and biological fidelity through a meta-analysis of single-cell RNA-sequencing data for first and second trimester human primary brain (2.95 million cells, 51 datasets) and neural organoids (1.63 million cells, 130 datasets). We quantify the degree to which primary tissue cell-type marker expression and co-expression are recapitulated in organoids across 12 different protocol types. By quantifying gene-level preservation of primary tissue co-expression, we show neural organoids lie on a spectrum ranging from virtually no signal to co-expression near indistinguishable from primary tissue data, demonstrating high fidelity is within the scope of current methods. Additionally, we show neural organoids preserve the cell-type specific co-expression of developing rather than adult cells, confirming organoids are an appropriate model for primary tissue development. Overall, quantifying the preservation of primary tissue co-expression is a powerful tool for uncovering unifying axes of variation across heterogeneous neural organoid experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M Werner
- The Stanley Institute for Cognitive Genomics, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Jesse Gillis
- The Stanley Institute for Cognitive Genomics, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
- Physiology Department and Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Durante M, Bender T, Schickel E, Mayer M, Debus J, Grosshans D, Schroeder I. Aberrant choroid plexus formation in human cerebral organoids exposed to radiation. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3445801. [PMID: 37886443 PMCID: PMC10602134 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3445801/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Brain tumor patients are commonly treated with radiotherapy, but the efficacy of the treatment is limited by its toxicity, particularly the risk of radionecrosis. We used human cerebral organoids to investigate the mechanisms and nature of postirradiation brain image changes commonly linked to necrosis. Irradiation of cerebral organoids lead to increased formation of ZO1+/AQP1+/CLN3+-choroid plexus (CP) structures. Increased CP formation was triggered by radiation via the NOTCH/WNT signaling pathways and associated with delayed growth and neural stem cell differentiation, but not necrosis. The effect was more pronounced in immature than in mature organoids, reflecting the clinically-observed increased radiosensitivity of the pediatric brain. Protons were more effective than X-rays at the same dose, as also observed in clinical treatments. We conclude that radiation-induced brain image-changes can be attributed to aberrant CP formation, providing a new cellular mechanism and strategy for possible countermeasures.
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35
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Stöberl N, Maguire E, Salis E, Shaw B, Hall-Roberts H. Human iPSC-derived glia models for the study of neuroinflammation. J Neuroinflammation 2023; 20:231. [PMID: 37817184 PMCID: PMC10566197 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-023-02919-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroinflammation is a complex biological process that plays a significant role in various brain disorders. Microglia and astrocytes are the key cell types involved in inflammatory responses in the central nervous system. Neuroinflammation results in increased levels of secreted inflammatory factors, such as cytokines, chemokines, and reactive oxygen species. To model neuroinflammation in vitro, various human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based models have been utilized, including monocultures, transfer of conditioned media between cell types, co-culturing multiple cell types, neural organoids, and xenotransplantation of cells into the mouse brain. To induce neuroinflammatory responses in vitro, several stimuli have been established that can induce responses in either microglia, astrocytes, or both. Here, we describe and critically evaluate the different types of iPSC models that can be used to study neuroinflammation and highlight how neuroinflammation has been induced and measured in these cultures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Stöberl
- UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI), School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AT UK
| | - Emily Maguire
- UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI), School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AT UK
| | - Elisa Salis
- UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI), School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AT UK
| | - Bethany Shaw
- UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI), School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AT UK
| | - Hazel Hall-Roberts
- UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI), School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AT UK
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Gaston-Breton R, Maïza Letrou A, Hamoudi R, Stonestreet BS, Mabondzo A. Brain organoids for hypoxic-ischemic studies: from bench to bedside. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:318. [PMID: 37804439 PMCID: PMC10560197 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04951-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
Our current knowledge regarding the development of the human brain mostly derives from experimental studies on non-human primates, sheep, and rodents. However, these studies may not completely simulate all the features of human brain development as a result of species differences and variations in pre- and postnatal brain maturation. Therefore, it is important to supplement the in vivo animal models to increase the possibility that preclinical studies have appropriate relevance for potential future human trials. Three-dimensional brain organoid culture technology could complement in vivo animal studies to enhance the translatability of the preclinical animal studies and the understanding of brain-related disorders. In this review, we focus on the development of a model of hypoxic-ischemic (HI) brain injury using human brain organoids to complement the translation from animal experiments to human pathophysiology. We also discuss how the development of these tools provides potential opportunities to study fundamental aspects of the pathophysiology of HI-related brain injury including differences in the responses between males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romane Gaston-Breton
- Université Paris Saclay, CEA, INRAE, Médicaments et Technologies pour la Santé (DMTS), Laboratoire d'Etude de l'Unité Neurovasculaire & Innovation Thérapeutique, 91191, Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
| | - Auriane Maïza Letrou
- Université Paris Saclay, CEA, INRAE, Médicaments et Technologies pour la Santé (DMTS), Laboratoire d'Etude de l'Unité Neurovasculaire & Innovation Thérapeutique, 91191, Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
| | - Rifat Hamoudi
- Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, P. O. 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, P. O. 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, London, UK
- ASPIRE Precision Medicine Research Institute Abu Dhabi, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Barbara S Stonestreet
- Departments of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry and Department of Pediatrics, Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, The Alpert Medical School of Brown University, 101 Dudley Street, Providence, RI, 02905, USA
| | - Aloïse Mabondzo
- Université Paris Saclay, CEA, INRAE, Médicaments et Technologies pour la Santé (DMTS), Laboratoire d'Etude de l'Unité Neurovasculaire & Innovation Thérapeutique, 91191, Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France.
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37
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Simorgh S, Mousavi SA, To SK, Pasque V, Wierda K, Vervliet T, Yeganeh M, Pooyan P, Chai YC, Verfaillie C, Baharvand H. A facile method to generate cerebral organoids from human pluripotent stem cells. EXCLI JOURNAL 2023; 22:1055-1076. [PMID: 37927348 PMCID: PMC10620858 DOI: 10.17179/excli2023-6299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Human cerebral organoids (COs) are self-organizing three-dimensional (3D) neural structures that provide a human-specific platform to study the cellular and molecular processes that underlie different neurological events. The first step of CO generation from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) is neural induction, which is an in vitro simulation of neural ectoderm development. Several signaling pathways cooperate during neural ectoderm development and in vitro differentiation of hPSCs toward neural cell lineages is also affected by them. In this study, we considered some of the known sources of these variable signaling cues arising from cell culture media components and sought to modulate their effects by applying a comprehensive combination of small molecules and growth factors for CO generation. Histological analysis demonstrated that these COs recapitulate the neural progenitor zone and early cortical layer organization, containing different types of neuronal and glial cells which was in accordance with single-nucleus transcriptome profiling results. Moreover, patch clamp and intracellular Ca2+ dynamic studies demonstrated that the COs behave as a functional neural network. Thus, this method serves as a facile protocol for generating hPSC-derived COs that faithfully mimic the features of their in vivo counterparts in the developing human brain. See also Figure 1(Fig. 1).
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan Simorgh
- Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Sciences and Advanced Technologies in Biology, University of Science and Culture, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
- Stem Cell Institute, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Seyed Ahmad Mousavi
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - San Kit To
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Lab for Epigenetic Reprogramming, Leuven Stem Cell Institute, Leuven Single-Cell Omics Institute and Leuven Cancer Institute, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Vincent Pasque
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Lab for Epigenetic Reprogramming, Leuven Stem Cell Institute, Leuven Single-Cell Omics Institute and Leuven Cancer Institute, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Keimpe Wierda
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven 3000, Belgium
- Electrophysiology Unit, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Tim Vervliet
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Signaling, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Meghdad Yeganeh
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Paria Pooyan
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Yoke Chin Chai
- Stem Cell Institute, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Catherine Verfaillie
- Stem Cell Institute, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Hossein Baharvand
- Department of Developmental Biology, School of Basic Sciences and Advanced Technologies in Biology, University of Science and Culture, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
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Phouphetlinthong O, Partiot E, Bernou C, Sebban A, Gaudin R, Charlot B. Protruding cantilever microelectrode array to monitor the inner electrical activity of cerebral organoids. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 23:3603-3614. [PMID: 37489118 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00294b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Stem cell-derived cerebral organoids are artificially grown miniature organ-like structures mimicking embryonic brain architecture. They are composed of multiple neural cell types with 3D cell layer organization exhibiting local field potential. Measuring the extracellular electrical activity by means of conventional planar microelectrode arrays is particularly challenging due to the 3D architecture of organoids. In order to monitor the intra-organoid electrical activity of thick spheroid-shaped samples, we developed long protruding microelectrode arrays able to penetrate the inner regions of cerebral organoids to measure the local potential of neurons within the organoids. A new microfabrication process has been developed which, thanks to the relaxation of internal stresses of a stack of materials deposited over a sacrificial layer, allows one to build a protruding cantilever microelectrode array placed at the apex of beams which rise vertically, over two hundred microns. These slender beams inserted deeply into the organoids give access to the recording of local field potential from neurons buried inside the organoid. This novel device shall provide valuable tools to study neural functions in greater detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oramany Phouphetlinthong
- IES, Institut d'Electronique et des Systèmes, UMR 5214 CNRS, Montpellier, France
- University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
| | - Emma Partiot
- IRIM, Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier, UMR 9004 CNRS, Montpellier, France
- University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
| | - Corentin Bernou
- IRIM, Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier, UMR 9004 CNRS, Montpellier, France
- University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
| | - Audrey Sebban
- IES, Institut d'Electronique et des Systèmes, UMR 5214 CNRS, Montpellier, France
- University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
| | - Raphael Gaudin
- IRIM, Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier, UMR 9004 CNRS, Montpellier, France
- University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
| | - Benoit Charlot
- IES, Institut d'Electronique et des Systèmes, UMR 5214 CNRS, Montpellier, France
- University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
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Bertucci T, Bowles KR, Lotz S, Qi L, Stevens K, Goderie SK, Borden S, Oja LM, Lane K, Lotz R, Lotz H, Chowdhury R, Joy S, Arduini BL, Butler DC, Miller M, Baron H, Sandhof CA, Silva MC, Haggarty SJ, Karch CM, Geschwind DH, Goate AM, Temple S. Improved Protocol for Reproducible Human Cortical Organoids Reveals Early Alterations in Metabolism with MAPT Mutations. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.11.548571. [PMID: 37503195 PMCID: PMC10369860 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.11.548571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Cerebral cortical-enriched organoids derived from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) are valuable models for studying neurodevelopment, disease mechanisms, and therapeutic development. However, recognized limitations include the high variability of organoids across hPSC donor lines and experimental replicates. We report a 96-slitwell method for efficient, scalable, reproducible cortical organoid production. When hPSCs were cultured with controlled-release FGF2 and an SB431542 concentration appropriate for their TGFBR1 / ALK5 expression level, organoid cortical patterning and reproducibility were significantly improved. Well-patterned organoids included 16 neuronal and glial subtypes by single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), frequent neural progenitor rosettes and robust BCL11B+ and TBR1+ deep layer cortical neurons at 2 months by immunohistochemistry. In contrast, poorly-patterned organoids contain mesendoderm-related cells, identifiable by negative QC markers including COL1A2 . Using this improved protocol, we demonstrate increased sensitivity to study the impact of different MAPT mutations from patients with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), revealing early changes in key metabolic pathways.
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40
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Wang X, Sun Y, Zhang DY, Ming GL, Song H. Glioblastoma modeling with 3D organoids: progress and challenges. OXFORD OPEN NEUROSCIENCE 2023; 2:kvad008. [PMID: 38596241 PMCID: PMC10913843 DOI: 10.1093/oons/kvad008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive adult primary brain tumor with nearly universal treatment resistance and recurrence. The mainstay of therapy remains maximal safe surgical resection followed by concurrent radiation therapy and temozolomide chemotherapy. Despite intensive investigation, alternative treatment options, such as immunotherapy or targeted molecular therapy, have yielded limited success to achieve long-term remission. This difficulty is partly due to the lack of pre-clinical models that fully recapitulate the intratumoral and intertumoral heterogeneity of GBM and the complex tumor microenvironment. Recently, GBM 3D organoids originating from resected patient tumors, genetic manipulation of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived brain organoids and bio-printing or fusion with non-malignant tissues have emerged as novel culture systems to portray the biology of GBM. Here, we highlight several methodologies for generating GBM organoids and discuss insights gained using such organoid models compared to classic modeling approaches using cell lines and xenografts. We also outline limitations of current GBM 3D organoids, most notably the difficulty retaining the tumor microenvironment, and discuss current efforts for improvements. Finally, we propose potential applications of organoid models for a deeper mechanistic understanding of GBM and therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wang
- Department of Neuroscience and Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Yusha Sun
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Daniel Y Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Guo-li Ming
- Department of Neuroscience and Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Hongjun Song
- Department of Neuroscience and Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- The Epigenetics Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- GBM Translational Center of Excellence, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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D'Antoni C, Mautone L, Sanchini C, Tondo L, Grassmann G, Cidonio G, Bezzi P, Cordella F, Di Angelantonio S. Unlocking Neural Function with 3D In Vitro Models: A Technical Review of Self-Assembled, Guided, and Bioprinted Brain Organoids and Their Applications in the Study of Neurodevelopmental and Neurodegenerative Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10762. [PMID: 37445940 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the complexities of the human brain and its associated disorders poses a significant challenge in neuroscience. Traditional research methods have limitations in replicating its intricacies, necessitating the development of in vitro models that can simulate its structure and function. Three-dimensional in vitro models, including organoids, cerebral organoids, bioprinted brain models, and functionalized brain organoids, offer promising platforms for studying human brain development, physiology, and disease. These models accurately replicate key aspects of human brain anatomy, gene expression, and cellular behavior, enabling drug discovery and toxicology studies while providing insights into human-specific phenomena not easily studied in animal models. The use of human-induced pluripotent stem cells has revolutionized the generation of 3D brain structures, with various techniques developed to generate specific brain regions. These advancements facilitate the study of brain structure development and function, overcoming previous limitations due to the scarcity of human brain samples. This technical review provides an overview of current 3D in vitro models of the human cortex, their development, characterization, and limitations, and explores the state of the art and future directions in the field, with a specific focus on their applications in studying neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara D'Antoni
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Center for Life Nano- and Neuro-Science of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Lorenza Mautone
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Center for Life Nano- and Neuro-Science of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Caterina Sanchini
- Center for Life Nano- and Neuro-Science of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Lucrezia Tondo
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Center for Life Nano- and Neuro-Science of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Greta Grassmann
- Center for Life Nano- and Neuro-Science of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
- Department of Biochemical Sciences "Alessandro Rossi Fanelli", Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Gianluca Cidonio
- Center for Life Nano- and Neuro-Science of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Bezzi
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Federica Cordella
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Center for Life Nano- and Neuro-Science of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Di Angelantonio
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Center for Life Nano- and Neuro-Science of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
- D-Tails s.r.l., 00165 Rome, Italy
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Liu R, Dong W, Xiong D, Hu L, Zhang H, Yuan X, Tang Z, Fu F, Yang X, Wu X. Single-cell RNA-sequencing identifies various proportions of excitatory and inhibitory neurons in cultured human fetal brain cortical tissues. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1177747. [PMID: 37449269 PMCID: PMC10338112 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1177747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Cortical neural progenitor cells possess the capacity to differentiate into both excitatory and inhibitory neurons. However, the precise proportions in which these progenitor cells differentiate remain unclear. Methods Human fetal prefrontal cortical tissues were collected at various fetal stages and cultured in vitro. Bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing techniques were employed to analyze the resulting neuronal cell types, cell proportions, and the expression levels of cell-type marker genes. Results The culture of fetal prefrontal cortex tissues obtained at gestation weeks 11 and 20 predominantly consisted of excitatory and inhibitory neurons, respectively. This abrupt transition in cell proportions was primarily driven by the differential lineage specificity of neural progenitors in the fetal cortical tissues at distinct stages of fetal brain development. Additionally, it was observed that the transcriptional profiles of cultured fetal cortical tissues were strongly influenced by the presence of FGF2. Discussion This study presents a novel strategy to obtain excitatory and inhibitory neuronal cells from the culture of fetal cortical tissues. The findings shed light on the mechanisms underlying neurogenesis and provide an approach that might contribute to future research investigating the pathophysiology of various neural disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Liu
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Wei Dong
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Dan Xiong
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Lanqi Hu
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Haoran Zhang
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaoping Yuan
- Department of Prenatal Diagnostic Center, Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhonghui Tang
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Fang Fu
- Department of Prenatal Diagnostic Center, Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xin Yang
- Department of Prenatal Diagnostic Center, Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xia Wu
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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Buchner F, Dokuzluoglu Z, Grass T, Rodriguez-Muela N. Spinal Cord Organoids to Study Motor Neuron Development and Disease. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:1254. [PMID: 37374039 DOI: 10.3390/life13061254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Motor neuron diseases (MNDs) are a heterogeneous group of disorders that affect the cranial and/or spinal motor neurons (spMNs), spinal sensory neurons and the muscular system. Although they have been investigated for decades, we still lack a comprehensive understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms; and therefore, efficacious therapies are scarce. Model organisms and relatively simple two-dimensional cell culture systems have been instrumental in our current knowledge of neuromuscular disease pathology; however, in the recent years, human 3D in vitro models have transformed the disease-modeling landscape. While cerebral organoids have been pursued the most, interest in spinal cord organoids (SCOs) is now also increasing. Pluripotent stem cell (PSC)-based protocols to generate SpC-like structures, sometimes including the adjacent mesoderm and derived skeletal muscle, are constantly being refined and applied to study early human neuromuscular development and disease. In this review, we outline the evolution of human PSC-derived models for generating spMN and recapitulating SpC development. We also discuss how these models have been applied to exploring the basis of human neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases. Finally, we provide an overview of the main challenges to overcome in order to generate more physiologically relevant human SpC models and propose some exciting new perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Buchner
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Tobias Grass
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Natalia Rodriguez-Muela
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307 Dresden, Germany
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Abrams Z. How Brain Organoids Are Revolutionizing Neuroscience. IEEE Pulse 2023; 14:2-6. [PMID: 37607158 DOI: 10.1109/mpuls.2023.3294102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Measuring just a millimeter or two in diameter, brain organoids are a far cry from a fully functioning human brain. But these miniature tissues, typically derived from stem cells, are increasingly able to mimic the structure and function of our most complex organ, unlocking exciting possibilities for neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and beyond.
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Ye B. Approaches to vascularizing human brain organoids. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002141. [PMID: 37155714 PMCID: PMC10194923 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
A major challenge in brain organoid technologies is the lack of vasculature. In recent years, innovative approaches have been taken to meet this challenge. A 2020 paper published in PLOS Biology exemplifies the approaches used in this booming field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Ye
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
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46
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Human Brain Organoids in Migraine Research: Pathogenesis and Drug Development. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043113. [PMID: 36834522 PMCID: PMC9961184 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Human organoids are small, self-organized, three-dimensional (3D) tissue cultures that have started to revolutionize medical science in terms of understanding disease, testing pharmacologically active compounds, and offering novel ways to treat disease. Organoids of the liver, kidney, intestine, lung, and brain have been developed in recent years. Human brain organoids are used for understanding pathogenesis and investigating therapeutic options for neurodevelopmental, neuropsychiatric, neurodegenerative, and neurological disorders. Theoretically, several brain disorders can be modeled with the aid of human brain organoids, and hence the potential exists for understanding migraine pathogenesis and its treatment with the aid of brain organoids. Migraine is considered a brain disorder with neurological and non-neurological abnormalities and symptoms. Both genetic and environmental factors play essential roles in migraine pathogenesis and its clinical manifestations. Several types of migraines are classified, for example, migraines with and without aura, and human brain organoids can be developed from patients with these types of migraines to study genetic factors (e.g., channelopathy in calcium channels) and environmental stressors (e.g., chemical and mechanical). In these models, drug candidates for therapeutic purposes can also be tested. Here, the potential and limitations of human brain organoids for studying migraine pathogenesis and its treatment are communicated to generate motivation and stimulate curiosity for further research. This must, however, be considered alongside the complexity of the concept of brain organoids and the neuroethical aspects of the topic. Interested researchers are invited to join the network for protocol development and testing the hypothesis presented here.
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Zhou Y, Su Y, Ming G, Song H. Special properties of adult neurogenesis in the human hippocampus: Implications for its clinical applications. Clin Transl Med 2023; 13:e1196. [PMID: 36740454 PMCID: PMC9899683 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhou
- Department of Neuroscience and Mahoney Institute for NeurosciencesUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Yijing Su
- Department of Neuroscience and Mahoney Institute for NeurosciencesUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Guo‐li Ming
- Department of Neuroscience and Mahoney Institute for NeurosciencesUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
- Department of Cell and Developmental BiologyUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
- Institute for Regenerative MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Hongjun Song
- Department of Neuroscience and Mahoney Institute for NeurosciencesUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
- Department of Cell and Developmental BiologyUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
- Institute for Regenerative MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
- The Epigenetics InstitutePerelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
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Modeling Autism Spectrum Disorders with Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Brain Organoids. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13020260. [PMID: 36830629 PMCID: PMC9953447 DOI: 10.3390/biom13020260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of complex neurodevelopmental disorders that affect communication and social interactions and present with restricted interests and repetitive behavior patterns. The susceptibility to ASD is strongly influenced by genetic/heritable factors; however, there is still a large gap in understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the neurobiology of ASD. Significant progress has been made in identifying ASD risk genes and the possible convergent pathways regulated by these gene networks during development. The breakthrough of cellular reprogramming technology has allowed the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from individuals with syndromic and idiopathic ASD, providing patient-specific cell models for mechanistic studies. In the past decade, protocols for developing brain organoids from these cells have been established, leading to significant advances in the in vitro reproducibility of the early steps of human brain development. Here, we reviewed the most relevant literature regarding the application of brain organoids to the study of ASD, providing the current state of the art, and discussing the impact of such models on the field, limitations, and opportunities for future development.
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Ahmed M, Muffat J, Li Y. Understanding neural development and diseases using CRISPR screens in human pluripotent stem cell-derived cultures. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1158373. [PMID: 37101616 PMCID: PMC10123288 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1158373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The brain is arguably the most complex part of the human body in form and function. Much remains unclear about the molecular mechanisms that regulate its normal and pathological physiology. This lack of knowledge largely stems from the inaccessible nature of the human brain, and the limitation of animal models. As a result, brain disorders are difficult to understand and even more difficult to treat. Recent advances in generating human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs)-derived 2-dimensional (2D) and 3-dimensional (3D) neural cultures have provided an accessible system to model the human brain. Breakthroughs in gene editing technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9 further elevate the hPSCs into a genetically tractable experimental system. Powerful genetic screens, previously reserved for model organisms and transformed cell lines, can now be performed in human neural cells. Combined with the rapidly expanding single-cell genomics toolkit, these technological advances culminate to create an unprecedented opportunity to study the human brain using functional genomics. This review will summarize the current progress of applying CRISPR-based genetic screens in hPSCs-derived 2D neural cultures and 3D brain organoids. We will also evaluate the key technologies involved and discuss their related experimental considerations and future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mai Ahmed
- Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Julien Muffat
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Yun Li
- Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- *Correspondence: Yun Li,
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